Because the Floor Fell
by dolly51
Summary: Danielle is new to Chicago. Follow her as she makes friends and falls in love. What will happen when tragedy strikes?
1. Chapter 1

**Danielle Powers had her fair share of failed relationships, heartbreak and sadness. Although she felt no animosity towards her past experiences, she still needed a change of pace and a change of city. If her experiences taught her one thing, it was to live in the moment, there was no more waiting around for life to fall into your lap, she had to go out and get it.**

She spent the whole month of July packing up her life in New Jersey. She had spent 30 years building memories full of family, friends, good times and bad times. Boxes were packed to the brim full of her things, but most importantly her memories. Her best friend Corinne had come over to apartment to help out.

"Are you sure about this?" Corinne questioned nonchalantly. "I mean, you don't have to go so far away, there are so many opportunities for you here.

Danielle looked at her best friend, "I'm sure there are, I just need to do this once." She sighed, "This will always be my home, I just need to know what else is out there."

"And you think whatever is out there is in Chicago?"

"I don't know that. All I do know is I have to try."

"Fair enough." Corinne said closing the last box up.

Danielle set to leave first thing in the morning. Her family and friends provided support, but were so sad to see her go.

"You are just starting your career, why do you want to leave?" Her mom tearfully said to her one night before she had left.

"Mom, there is more to life than a career. I love what I do, but the beauty of it was that I am able to do it in other places also. There are schools in Chicago too."

"I know, I just don't want you to go."

"This isn't forever, it is just what I need to do right now."

The memory of that conversation flooded Danielle's mind as drove down interstate 80 through Pennsylvania. Six hours into her trip and the tears were streaming down her face.

What had she done?

At the ten hour mark, Danielle was starting to feel a little bit better. She knew she was in the home stretch of her twelve and half hour journey. Her thoughts of home were pushed to the back of her mind as the scenery of Indiana put her at ease. The only way to look was forward.

It was slightly after eight am when Danielle pulled into Chicago. She admired the way the skyline kissed the morning sun. It sure was a beautiful city. She called the real estate company that she would be renting her new apartment from and he agreed to meet her in about 30 minutes at her new place.

She decided to rent in the young, but residential area called Bucktown. It was about 30 minutes from her new job at PS 134 on the outskirts of the city. She had done a lot of research of where to live, and where not live in her new city. Her city. Danielle's confidence in her decision was high today, and she knew with her determination and willpower she would be able to make this work.

She stopped for a cup of coffee at a cute shop at the end of her tree lined street. She stepped out of her car and reached her arms up to the sky for a stretch that her body has been craving during the tedious drive from New Jersey to Chicago. She put her sunglasses on to cover her tired eyes and tucked her brunette strands behind her ears.

She was wearing jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt layered under an oversized hoodie with a pair of white converse on her feet. She had been stuck in the car all night and could not wait to finally shower and change.

"Medium coffee, black please." She said to the barista behind the bar.

His ears perked up at the sound of her accent, which he could not place but knew she was not a local.

"Here you go Miss." He handed her a cup, "$1.75 please."

Danielle handed him two singles and smiled at him as she dropped the twenty five cent change into the tip cup on the counter.

She took a quick look around the quiet neighborhood shop and liked how it was not packed with morning commuters, she was already looking forward to coming back here tomorrow for her caffeine fix.

She was so busy admiring the mural on the wall that she did not notice the two men walking in the shop as she was walking out until it was too late.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention" She said nervously as she looked up into the piercing blue eyes of the taller one.

"It's ok miss, no harm." He replied back using his midwest charm.. He studied her face for a moment and flashed a toothy grin at her.

She smiled back at him and at his blonde haired friend and nodded, "sorry again," she said as she walked out towards her car. She could not help but look back to get another look at the dark and handsome man as she slid back into the driver's seat of her car. She lowered her sunglasses and her eyes met his as he was looking out of the window at her too.

"I think I am going to like it here." Danielle thought to herself.

Danielle checked her phone and saw the text from her realtor that he was at her new place with the keys.

She walked up to the second floor unit leaving her car double parked on the street below. It was a great brownstone that looked like it was full of character. Danielle was able to snag the second floor unit with two bathrooms and two bedrooms with the money that she had saved up for this move. She planned to rent for while she was still getting her bearings in this city. Her city.

Her realtor, Mark, spent time going through the place showing her where everything was and giving her a run down of the neighborhood.

"If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to call." Mark said as he handed her a set of keys.

"Thanks so much, I really appreciate all of your help."

"When are the moving vans coming? I am sure you will need some help getting everything up here."

"No vans. I took whatever I could fit in my car, and ordered the rest. Today is going to be a big shopping day."

"Do you need help unloading your car?" Mark asked with a timid smile.

Danielle wasn't really sure what he was getting at. Yes, he was very nice for asking, but that is not something that real estate agents usually do. At least not in Jersey.

She smiled at him, "I appreciate the offer, but it will be a slow and steady day for me. I'm going to head to the supermarket now any way to pick up cleaning supplies before I move everything in."

"Not a problem. You have my number if you need anything." Mark then let himself out.

Danielle took one more long look outside of her big bay window and sipped her morning coffee. The sun was shining and she knew it was going to be a good day.

By the time the sun went down, she had made some pretty good progress but was sweaty and starving. She took a quick shower, thankful that she remembered to bring some towels. She threw her wet hair into a braid, made herself a quick sandwich and looked out of the window as she sipped a well deserved glass of wine. She was exhausted and still had a long day ahead of her tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

By 9 am the next morning, Danielle was wide awake. She had slept on the floor the night before because her new bed was not being delivered until today. The sun streamed into through her curtain-less windows brightening up her bedroom. She was sore. Her legs and back ached from walking up and down the stairs with all of her belongings from yesterday. She couldn't lay around all day though, there was still so much to be done.

It had been a full 24 hours since she arrived in Chicago and Danielle was ready to take on day 2. She slipped on a pair of boyfriend jeans and a black tank. She released her hair from the braid and let the waves brush her shoulders. She grabbed her keys, sunglasses, slipped her shoes on was out of the door 20 minutes later.

She remembered the coffee shop from yesterday was a quick walk down the block and she knew she needed some sustenance to get her through the long day ahead of her.

The sun was shining, but there was still a little chill morning air. The brisk walk woke her up even more as she ran down her mental to-do list.

'Bed is being delivered between 1-4pm. Need to make a run to Sears for some furniture. 'Call the cable company to set up the television and Internet…'

Her mind was wandering with thoughts of what needed to be done first when her phone started to buzz in her pocket. She opened it up to a text from Corinne.

"Good Morning - how's it going over there?"

Danielle smiled and began to type her reply back when all of sudden she tripped on the uneven sidewalk. Her knees, hands and phone hit the pavement...hard. Danielle stood up and quickly glanced around to make sure no had seen her embarrassing misstep.

A blue mustang pulled up to the sidewalk where Danielle was inspecting the damage done to the palm of her hand.

"Hey, are you ok? That looked like a nasty spill."

Danielle looked over the top of her sunglasses, her cheeks started to burn to when her eyes were met with the steel blue eyes of the mystery man from the coffee shop yesterday. She bit her lip and wondered if he had recognized her too.

"All good here, thanks though." She waved and picked up the pace in her step. She was too embarrassed for small talk.

She heard the car pull away and released her breath.

'I cannot believe that just happened.' She said to herself, she also couldn't believe she saw the handsome man again.

She glanced over shoulder and watched the blue mustang parallel park on the street a few buildings down from her own. She could feel his eyes on her as she crossed the street and quickly pulled open the door to the coffee shop.

"Corinne, you are never going to believe this!" Danielle squeaked into her phone.

"Good news?" Corinne asked.

"It is news, mostly good and mostly embarrassing. So, yesterday morning when I got here I stopped for coffee and bumped into one of the best looking guys i've ever laid eyes on."

"Go on…" Corinne encouraged.

"He has the most amazing blue eyes, and this salt and pepper hair happening." Danielle gushed.

"I hope there is more to this story."

"Well," Danielle continued, "This morning, as I was reading your text I tripped and face planted on the sidewalk. Small crack in phone, but I'm ok."

Corinne let out a giggle.

"So of course, who pulls up to the sidewalk where I fell? That's right, the hot guy."

"Oh my god, that is unreal."

"I know, just my luck. I am pretty sure he lives on my block, too. I saw him park his car a few doors down from where my apartment is. I ran away from him and ducked into the coffee shop on the corner. Every time the door opened, I could feel my cheeks burning because I thought I would bump into him again."

"You should've talked to him!"

"Yeah right, I am so scared to run into him again...I am mortified!"

Corinne laughed, "well you have to make friends sooner or later!"

"I know, I know." Danielle was getting closer to her apartment. She spotted the blue mustang parked across the street but saw no sign of it's owner.

Corinne and Danielle chatted for a little while longer about her first day in her new city.


	3. Chapter 3

The days turned into weeks and soon it was end of August in Chicago. Danielle would be starting her new job at PS 134 soon and she was ready to back into the swing of real life, summer vacation was coming to an end. She had spent her summer in Chicago seeing the sights, eating some great deep dish pizza, and making some new friends.

Danielle had met Sylvie Brett in the spin class at her local gym. She was in her late 20's, pretty, and worked as a paramedic for the city. They usually met for dinner before their weekly class and had become good friends.

"Hey, what are you doing this weekend?" Sylvie had asked Danielle one night as they were walking out of class.

"No plans here. Just trying to get ready for the upcoming school year, I guess." She replied shrugging.

"Well, if you are interested, my friend is having a little birthday celebration at this bar in Bucktown. It's called Molly's."

"Oh yea, I know the place. I live in Bucktown too!"

"Awesome! Do you think you would want to come? I would love to introduce you to some of the people I work with. They are an awesome group."

"Thanks so much for the invite, I would love to come!"

"Great! I'm on shift until Saturday morning, but I will text you the details tomorrow."

"Perfect. Why don't you come by for a drink before hand." Danielle really did miss having girlfriends to hang out with. "That way we can go over together. She was grateful to have met Sylvie.

"Sounds like a plan to me! I'll see you Saturday."

Danielle smiled and got into her car to head home. When she pulled up to her apartment, she saw the blue mustang pull up behind her. She had not had much contact with the owner since their initial meeting when she first got to Chicago, but she had seen him around the neighborhood. They hadn't spoken since her second day but they have exchanged some coy smiles in the coffee shop in the morning or when they passed each other on the street.

She knew next to nothing about him. The only thing she was able to figure out was that his roommate's name was Casey and that they were both firefighters. She overheard a heated discussion they were having one morning before their shift started. She often spotted him wearing Chicago Fire Department gear, so it was pretty obvious what his job was.

It was Saturday morning, and Danielle was pretty excited to have a night out on the town. She spent the morning cleaning her apartment to prepare for Sylvie's arrival. She made sure she had some wine and beer in the fridge too.

She had been in Chicago a month now, and her place was finally starting to feel like her own. She had finally finished furnishing it and decorating it the way she wanted it. The place was bright and open, she turned the second bedroom into a home office, and made sure she had pictures of her friends and family all over the walls.

It was 10am when she got a text from Sylvie - "Ugh, rough shift. Nap time for me, but don't worry we are all good for tonight."

"Sorry to hear that :(" Danielle texted back, "Are you sure you are up for tonight?"

Sylvie responded quickly. "Trust me, all I can think about is a nap and drink."

"LOL. Sounds like good plan to me! Text me when you wake up."

"OK! Good night :)"

Danielle had listened to some of Sylvie's stories about her job. She gave her a lot of credit for seeing some of the things she has seen. She didn't think that she would ever be able to handle anything like that if it were her.

The day seemed to fly by as Danielle was running errands. Before she knew it was already 6pm.

"Hey there! Just woke up. I am going to jump in the shower and head over, cool?" Her phone buzzed in her pocket with that last text from Sylvie.

"Sounds like a plan. I have beer and wine too. Here is my address." Danielle typed back letting her know where she lived.

"Oh! I know exactly where that is. I'll see you around 8?"

"Perfect." She responded.

Danielle put the tv on and headed over to closet. "Now, what do I wear?" She said aloud to herself. She settled on a pair of skinny dark denim ankle jeans, and chose a coral colored peasant shirt with open shoulders to pair well with tan skin. She slipped her favorite pair of open toe wedges and accessorized with a gold watch, long necklace and stud earrings

She curled her hair away from her face. It had gotten much longer since arriving Chicago, she made a note to herself to ask Sylvie where she goes to get her hair done.

Her doorbell buzzed. "Dani? Are you up there?" She head Sylvie's voice through the intercom.

"Hold on Sylvie, I'll buzz you in." She held the buzzer to let Sylvie in and unlocked her door and waited on her to come up.

"You look fantastic!" She said as Sylvie approached her doorway.

"Thanks! As do you!" She gave her a quick hug.

"I'm trying, just need to finish putting on some make-up. Come in, I'll pour you a drink and we can talk about your day."

"Thanks."

Danielle gave Sylvie a quick tour of her place.

"You know, my Lieutenants live like right across the street from you." Sylvie said as she watched Danielle apply some eyeshadow from the bathroom door.

"Lieutenants?" Danielle peaked over to her.

"Yeah, at the firehouse."

"Firehouse? I didn't realize you worked out of a fire house! I thought you had your own building."

"No silly. I work at Firehouse 51. There is an engine, a truck, a squad, and the ambo."

"Wow, I had no idea! Where I come from in Jersey, the ambulances are in a separate area from the trucks."

"No kidding! Well, remind me to introduce you to them later on tonight. They are great guys and I'm sure will come in handy as neighbors."

"Why do you say that?" Danielle asked curiously.

"Well, Casey has a construction company. He came over to my place two weeks ago to fix my cabinets."

Danielle's ears perked when she heard that name. "Did you say Casey?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes?"

"That's the one." Sylvie nodded.

"I've seen him around the neighborhood. When I am up early I bump into him - and I guess his roommate, at the coffee shop down the block."

"Such a small world! So then you know Severide too?"

Danielle blushed with the mention of that name. "I wouldn't say I know them. They definitely don't know who I am. I mean, I've never introduced myself to them at least."

"Well, I'll be sure to make sure you meet them tonight."

"Cool." Danielle tried not to sound too excited.

Danielle and Sylvie headed to the kitchen. "Wine or beer?" Danielle asked opening her fridge.

"Red wine?"

"I have that too." Danielle responded as she headed to the wine rack. She poured Sylvie a glass, "So tell me about your shift last night."

She listened intently as Sylvie told another tale of Firehouse 51. There was a bad chemical spill in a factory near Canaryville. They guy that that squad pulled out was alive when he got into the ambulance but Sylvie and her partner Jimmy lost him enroute to Chicago Med.

"It was so sad. I knew he had a wife and kid. We tried so hard to keep him alive a little while longer but his airway was too inflamed."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I honestly don't know how you deal with that on daily basis."

"Thank goodness it's not daily. 24 on 48 off." Sylvie reminded her.

"Well hopefully tonight can cheer you up a little bit."

"It's my partner Jimmy's birthday, I think we will have a great time."

"Jimmy? The cute one?"

Now it was Sylvie's turn to blush. Danielle had listened to Sylvie gush over Jimmy since she first met her.

Danielle smiled, "Come on Sylvie, I know you like him!"

"You know, and I know...but no one else can know!" Sylvie stammered into her wine glass.

"I hear ya, my lips are sealed!"

Danielle checked her watch, "It's 9:30, you want to head over?"

"Sure, let's call the cab."

The girls did one last hair and makeup check before they bounced out of the door. Danielle didn't let on to Sylvie, but she was so excited to finally get the opportunity to talk with the mystery fireman.

Danielle recognized the bar when they pulled up. "I've been here for lunch before." She told Sylvie.

"Oh yeah? Three of the firefighters in my house own it, it's a little dive-y but a home away from home for the cops and firefighters in the district."

"Awesome. Cops and firefighters all in one place? I should come here more often!" Danielle laughed as she let Sylvie head in before her. The place was packed. Danielle's head was spinning as Sylvie was introducing her to people left and right.

Danielle smiled brightly at everyone as she made the rounds around the bar. Sylvie had introduced her to the bartender/owner Gabby Dawson.

"Dawson, this is my new friend from the gym - Danielle."

"So great to meet to meet you, Danielle. Brett has told us all about you!"

"Brett?" Danielle asked, confused.

Sylvie smiled, "Yeah, at the house I go by last name, Brett. Everyone does, right Dawson?"

"Oh, I see! So nice to meet you, what a great place you have here!"

"Thanks! So you are new to Chicago, right? What brings you here?" She asked as she poured me a vodka club.

"You know, just needed a change of scenery." I smiled at Sylvie because I knew she had gone through a similar situation not too long ago when she moved to Chicago from Indiana.

Dawson eyes were diverted to the door, "Hey Casey, come on over." She waved him over from the door.

Danielle was too nervous to turn and face Casey, she wasn't sure if he was alone with her mystery guy.

Casey strolled over to the bar shaking hands and saying hello to everyone. Dawson poured him a single malt scotch when he go to the bar.

"Lieutenant, I want you to meet my new friend Danielle." Sylvie said warmly, "She literally lives across the street from you and Lieutenant Severide."

Danielle took that as my cue to turn towards him. She studied his face for a moment, he had such kind eyes.

"Danielle, I'm Matt Casey, so nice to finally meet you."

"You as well….Lieutenant?" She said with a raised eyebrow as she took his extended hand. She wasn't quite sure what to call him.

"Please, call me Matt," he said. "Now that I think of it, I've seen you at my coffee shop at the corner of 5th and Wicker."

"Yup," She laughed, "that is becoming my go to spot as well."

"Welcome to the neighborhood!" Casey exclaimed

She smiled brightly at him. He sipped his drink and turned back Dawson, he leaned over the bar and gave her a quick peck on the mouth. "Severide is on a date, he probably won't get here until later."

"I can't wait to meet this one." Dawson said rolling her eyes.

Danielle kept the smile on her face and listened intently. 'Date?' She said to herself wondering if it was anything too serious.

Sylvie grabbed her hand after Dawson had topped off her drink. "Come on, I want you to meet Jimmy!" She couldn't hide her excitement and I think Dawson knew it too.

"Oh yeah, Jimmy." Dawson gave her a wink.

Jimmy Borelli was hot. Sylvie had told Danielle that several times, but she did not do him justice.

"Danielle, so nice to meet you. Thank you for coming! Sylvie talks about you all the time in the rig."

"Thanks so much for having me! I hope you are having a great birthday party."

"So far so good." He beamed at her.

Danielle could instantly tell that Jimmy liked Sylvie Brett too. He always made sure she was close to him, and she could see him stealing glances at her when he thought she wasn't watching. The whole interaction was so sweet.

The three of them grabbed a table near the bar to sit for a minute. Danielle sipped her drink slowly as she listened to Jimmy tease Sylvie about their ambulance rides.

"Hey Jimmy, Happy Birthday man." A voice bellowed as he approached the high top table where the trio was sitting.

"Hey, thanks Roman." Jimmy extended his hand to shake his. "Wanna join us for a beer?"

"Sure thing," Roman grabbed the stool next to Danielle, "Sean Roman." He took her hand to say hello.

"Nice to meet you," Danielle met his gaze and smiled, "I'm Danielle."

"Pleasure." He smiled back.

"Are you a firefighter too?" Danielle asked.

"Me? No way." He laughed in Jimmy's direction.

"Roman here couldn't pass the test!" Jimmy shook his head with a laugh.

"Yeah right," Roman retorted. "I represent Chicago's finest. I go after the real bad guys."

"Shot's fired!" Sylvie laughed. Realizing her pun, "Not literally, of course." She smiled sheepishly.

"I appreciate the joke, don't worry, Syl." Danielle laughed back at her.

Danielle turned back towards Roman, "So you're a cop, huh? So is my brother."

"Cool, what district?" Roman asked, intrigued.

"Not around here," she answered. "I'm a Jersey girl, my brother is actually NYPD."

"New York's finest, that's awesome," Roman raised his glass to her, "has he been on the job long?"

"Just a few years now. He loves it. He wants to start studying for his detective exam soon too."

"Why leave the beat?"

"You know - I'm not sure. I'll have to ask him and get back to you on that one."

Roman laughed at her response. "Next round on me guys, what are you having?"

"Beer please." Jimmy perked up.

"Vodka club for me, same for Danielle too, right?" Sylvie said.

"You got it. I will help you with the drinks." She stood up and followed Roman to the bar. They stood there chatting about Chicago and places that Danielle must eat at while Hermann from the firehouse poured our drinks.

Danielle had a feeling that Roman was interested. She almost hoped he was too. He was a nice guy, and she was sure that her brother would appreciate having a cop watch out for her in a new city as well.

Danielle grabbed his arm at bar in a flirty way, "thanks for the drink, next one on me."

"No way," Roman replied. "Sister of a cop, this is the least I can do."

She batted her long lashes at him. "Thanks so much, I appreciate that."

She helped him carry the drinks back to Sylvie and Jimmy who were deep in conversation. Sylvie took a long pull from her new cocktail and gave Danielle a look. Her eyes were bright and she quickly glanced towards the direction of the bathroom.

Danielle quickly picked up on the hint. "Will you guys excuse me, Sylvie, can you show me where the bathroom is?"

"Of course, let's go."

They swung open the door of the women's room. Sylvie was smiling so hard Danielle thought she was going to burst.

"What? What is it?" Danielle asked excitedly.

"Jimmy." She sighed. "He's just so sweet sometimes," Sylvie gushed.

"Did he profess his love to you?" Danielle asked half jokingly.

Sylvie laughed, "No!"

"Then what?!"

"It's just with the stress of the job while we are on shift, we don't really get to have these sweet flirty moments like tonight. It just feels so good."

She was drunk, and Danielle was definitely buzzed too.

She turned toward to mirror to reapply her lipstick. "What can you tell me about this Roman guy?" Danielle smiled slyly.

"Sean? He's great!" Sylvie peered at Danielle in the mirror, "Why do you ask?" She grinned.

"He's kind of cute, I guess." Danielle giggled.

"He is! Although, I should let you know though, friend to friend…"

"What?" Danielle interrupted.

"We hooked up once."

"Oh yeah?" Danielle asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing serious, I swear." Sylvie said, "It was a drunken make out session months ago."

"Are you still into him?"

"Oh, no way. He's just a friend."

"So you don't mind if I hang with him a little tonight, get to know him?"

"Of course not, I want you to have fun!"

Danielle gave Sylvie a quick hug, "Thanks, I needed this night out!"

"Come on, let's get back out there. I hear my song playing."

Danielle and Sylvie emerged from the bathroom, they linked arms and headed back into the crowd of people at Molly's. The boys had a round of shots waiting when they got back to high top.

"Who is going to be holding my hair back tonight?" Danielle laughed.

Roman smiled at her, "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get home safe."

Danielle bit her lip and gave him a sideways grin.

It was getting late, and everyone was getting pretty sloppy. Danielle knew it was about that time to head out before the night took a different turn.

"Hey Dani, I'm gonna grab a cab, are you ready to go too?" Sylvie slurred slightly.

"Yup, it's about that time." She nodded in agreement

"Daw-son!" Sylvie yelled across the bar, "You wanna go home with us?" This seemed to pique the interest of the some of the male patrons of the bar.

Dawson laughed out loud at Brett. "I have to close up tonight, but I call you a cab."

"Don't worry Dawson," said Sean, "I'll make sure the girls get home safe.

"Thanks, Roman!"

The three made their rounds around the bar saying goodnight, but the night had pretty much died down about an hour before.

Sylvie stumbled out of the bar first, Danielle not too far behind her. They were hysterically laughing over something Otis said to them on their way out.

"What's so funny, ladies?" Danielle heard someone ask from behind them.

The girls turned and were eye to eye with Kelly Severide. He was smiling and stood in front of them in a pair of jeans and dark grey v-neck t-shirt.

"Heyyyy Luitentenet! Where have you been?" Sylvie asked.

"You know what they say, Brett, better late than never." He peered over at Danielle who suddenly became quiet. She nervously bit her lip.

"Oh Danielle," Sylvie waved her over, "Come meet Lieutenant Severide."

He extended her hand to shake hers, "Danielle? Have we met before?"

"I'm new in town, it's nice to meet you, Lieutenant."

"Kelly. Kelly Severide." His eyes dropped from her head down to her legs and back up into her eyes again.

She held onto his hand until she heard Sean's voice break her spell and then she quickly released it.

"Pleasure is all mine, Danielle. Maybe I'll see you around." Kelly said his cobalt eyes never leaving hers.

"Hey Sev. How are things?" Sean interjected.

"All good here, Roman. Are you getting these girls home?"

"Yeah, cab's on the way."

"Cool, bro. Tell Lindsay I said hello next time you see her."

"Will do." Sean nodded.

Sylvie linked arms with Danielle while the guys were talking. Danielle whispered into her ear, "He's so handsome."

"Yes, yes he is." They were giggling again.

Severide peered over Roman's shoulder to check out what the girls were laughing at. He caught Danielle's eye and smiled again just as their ride was pulled up.

"Get home safe everyone."

Their driver took Sylvie home first, she insisted.

Danielle and Roman were chatting in the car heading back to her place. The driver stopped and Roman got out to let her out.

"I would love to take you out sometime, show you around town." He asked shyly.

"I would really like that too." Danielle answered. "Give me a call sometime."

He handed her his phone so she could key in the numbers. "Are you going to be alright getting up to your apartment."

She bit her lip and looked up him, she knew what he was implying. "Always on duty, aren't you officer?" She teased.

"Just trying to keep the new girl in town safe."

She handed his phone back to him, put her hands on his shoulders and leaned in to give him a kiss on the mouth.

"It was great meeting you, Sean." She looked up him through her eyelashes. "I think I can make it upstairs, so don't you worry."

"I'll call you." Sean smiled.

"I hope so." Danielle smiled as she walked away.

She unlocked her apartment door and immediately headed towards the fridge for a bottle of water. She threw her purse and keys on the counter as she downed the first bottle.

After washing her face and changing into her nightgown she headed to grab another bottle of water to drink before bed. Walking past the large bay window she glanced down at street to see none other than Kelly Severide looking up her apartment.

She froze. It was dark in her living room. There was no way he could see her, right?

She watched as he seemed to shake a thought out of his head. He turned on his heel and walked back across the street to his place.


	4. Chapter 4

By mid September Danielle had hit her stride in her city. She had made more friends through Sylvie and through her new co-workers at the school she taught at.

While in the classroom, she was back in her element. She loved teaching language arts and reading to middle school students. One of her biggest worries before she moved was how much she would miss her students in New Jersey, it turns out, kids are kids, no matter where you live.

It was Tuesday night and time for spin class.

"Hey there! Do you want to try that new place on Wabash before class tonight?" Danielle checked her text from Sylvie. She looked forward to their Tuesday night dinners and spin classes. Danielle hated when she had to go alone because she was on shift.

"Sound good to me! I'll meet you there around 5:30?" She responded quickly.

"See you then!"

Danielle and Sylvie sat in a corner booth and looked over the menu at the new place.

"You're on shift tomorrow, right?" Danielle inquired.

"Yup, I think it may be my last ambo run with Jimmy, too." She frowned.

"Why?"

"Chief got the approval to add another person to truck. His first dream was always to be a firefighter, he was just filling in on the ambo temporarily."

"But he will still be in the house with you, right?"

"Yes, second watch too."

"OK, that's not too bad! Maybe now that you guys aren't partners anymore, you can really let him know how you feel."

"I never really thought of it that way. Maybe you are right?" Sylvie said as she brought her glass of water up to her lips. She peered at Danielle through her eyelashes. "Speaking of relationships...whatever happened with you and Roman?"

Danielle let out a sigh. "Uhh, nothing you don't already know. He really is such a great guy, and I had so much fun on when he took me out -"

Sylvie cut her off, "he is always asking about you."

"Is he? He is so sweet, but I think we are better as friends. There is just no spark there."

"Did he feel the same way?"

"I think so? We talked about it not too long ago. Besides, I think his interest lies with someone else."

"Who?" Sylvie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Have you ever seen the way him and Kim steal looks at each other at Molly's?"

"Kim Burgess? His partner?"

"Yeah. I think she's got a little thing for him too."

"Juicy stuff! I'll have to keep an eye for that next time I see them!"

"Don't say anything though! Sean and I have become good friends. I want to introduce him to my brother when he comes out to visit next month."

"Of course not."

Danielle and Sylvie finished their meals and headed to class in Danielle's car.

"MY LEGS ARE ON FIRE!" Danielle exclaimed as she slid in the driver's seat of her car after their spin class.

"I know. So much pain." Sylvie responded. "But no pain, no gain!"

Danielle laughed.

"Hey, any plans Friday night?" Sylvie asked.

"I have this work Happy Hour thing after school on Friday." She thought for a second, "but nothing that night."

"OK, let me know if you are interested in grabbing some dinner with Dawson and I? Casey has a function on Friday, and she asked me to hang."

"I would love to, thanks!"

Danielle pulled up to Sylvie and Dawson's apartment let her out. They were both exhausted.

"Have a good shift tomorrow." Danielle told her as she got out of the car.

"Thanks, have a great day with the kiddies!"

Danielle waved at her as she pulled away.

The next morning spent some extra time getting ready for school. She opted for a royal blue pencil skirt and her favorite black cardigan. She slipped on her black pumps and headed out of the door. She would never tell Sylvie this but Danielle knew on shift days there was a slight chance she would run into Casey and Severide in the coffee shop in the morning. It had been about 2 weeks since she had seen them there last. They exchanged smiles and pleasantries. She would always tell them to tell everyone at the house she hello, but it never went further than that.

She slipped on her Ray-Bans when she was met with the morning light and caught eyes with Casey across the street.

"Hey Dan!"

"Good Morning, Matt!" She yelled across the street. "Have a great shift today!"

"Thanks!" She saw Matt pull away, but saw no sign of the blue mustang. She must've missed him again.

 **Later on the afternoon Danielle got a text from an unknown number with a Chicago area code.**

"Hey Danielle. It's Gabby. Brett is going crazy looking for her phone. She thinks she may have left it in your car last night, she wants to know if you minded checking."

"Of course not! I can't run out there until lunch though." She typed back.

"OK, no problem! Thanks :)"

Danielle slipped out during lunch to look for Sylvie's phone, lo and behold it was under the passenger seat. It must've fallen out of her bag when she got out of the car last night.

She shot a quick text back to Dawson, "Found it! Should I drop it off after school?"

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all!"

"Great, Sylvie says thank you!"

"No sweat, I'll swing by around 4."

"See you then!" Gabby responded.

When Danielle pulled up to the firehouse she noticed that the doors were opened. She had driven by the house before, but had never been inside. She parked on the street and walked up to the open doors. The ambo and trucks were not there.

'They must be out on a call.' She thought to herself. 'I have time to wait.'

She wandered around the house looking at the plaques and pictures on the wall.

"Can I help you?" A woman came out to meet her.

Danielle turned towards the direction of the voice. "Hi! Yes, my name is Danielle Powers. I am a friend of Sylvie Brett. I am here to return her phone."

"Oh ok," replied the woman with a nice smile. "I just got word that they are on their way back from a call. Should be pulling in any minute if you want to wait out on the floor."

"Great, thank you!"

As Danielle headed out back towards the floor she saw the trucks pulling in. The red and yellow squad truck was first.

Severide jumped from the front seat, she watched him intently as he pulled off his coat and slid his turnout pants down.

"Hey Danielle, long time no see." Severide came over to say hello.

"I know. It's been a while." She responded coyly.

Truck was in the bay next. The squad guys made their way to the table by the gear room and seemed to pick up right where they left off. Danielle watched Kelly out of the corner of her eye.

He was watching her too.

Dawson came over next and gave her a big hug hello. "61 had to do a Chicago Med run. They shouldn't be much longer. Do you wanna hang?"

"Is that ok?"

"Of course! Come on in."

"Thanks! I brought some snacks for you guys. Sylvie said you had been lacking lately." She pulled out a box from Carlo's bakery.

"Thanks so much, Dani!" Otis yelled. "Quick though, bring it in before Squad gets their hands on it."

Danielle laughed, "Don't worry, there is enough for everyone here."

"Good," said Capp, "Because we are coming in too."

Severide got up to hold the door open for Danielle. "You sure you know your way into the hearts of these firefighters, through their stomachs."

Danielle looked up and met his blue eyes, "You guys have been such good friends to me, I just wanted do something nice for you."

"We really appreciate it." He smiled at her as he followed her in the kitchen. Danielle could feel his gaze on her as she walked in front of him. She had butterflies in stomach.

Danielle followed the crew into the kitchen area of the firehouse and helped Dawson put the spread out.

They were all chatting and laughing when Sylvie and Jimmy got back from the hospital.

"How's the victim?" Cruz asked.

Jimmy replied, "He'll be fine. Just a broken clavicle and some bruises."

"For it being such a bad wreck, he was very lucky." Sylvie added.

Sylvie perked up when she saw Danielle. "Oh my goodness, thank you so much for bringing my phone. I was a crazy person this morning looking for it."

"It's no sweat! It was right under the passenger seat of my car."

"I'm surprised you were able to bend over and check after last night." Sylvie laughed.

Severide's eyebrow raised, but he kept quiet.

It was actually Gabby who said, "Hot date last night, Danielle?"

My cheeks flushed, "No. It's not what you think. Sylvie and I took the advanced spin class last night. We were so sore."

"Yeah, I am still feeling it today."

Danielle met Kelly's eyes, she bit her bottom lip. He returned her smile.

"Well, I guess I should be getting out of here. I have so much grading to do tonight." Danielle said.

"Come back anytime." Herrmann said, "Especially if you stop at the bakery again!"

"Will do, Hermann. Don't worry." Danielle flashed him a grin.

"I'll walk you out." Sylvie said linking arms with her.

Danielle turned to look at Kelly one last time, she could be mistaken, but he was looking right back at her.

 **A few days later, Danielle had a rough day. Her students were extra wild in class that day and grades were due by the end of the week. It was going to be a busy few days, so she decided to unwind with a glass of wine.**

She went to her bedroom put her long locks into a high ponytail slipped into a pair of black leggings and an oversized long sleeved t-shirt. Her favorite pair of fuzzy socks were on her feet to protect them from the cool hardwood floor.

It was a little after 6pm and after 2 glasses of wine when she decided to start making dinner. She filled a medium pot with water and put it on the stove, however when she went to light the stove it was making a clicking noise and not lighting.

She took a few moments to keep trying, but then the smell of gas filled her nostrils. She quickly ran to open every window in her apartment and to call her landlord.

'Hmmm, no answer,' Danielle said aloud to no one in particular.

She decided to call Sylvie to see if she knew of anyone that may be available to fix her stove and figure out what that smell was.

She keyed the numbers in, "Hey Sylvie! Do you think Matt would mind running across the street to check out my stove? It's not lighting and there is a smell coming from it."

"Oh jeez, make sure you open all your windows! I'll call him now and call you right back."

Danielle was looking out across the street, when she didn't see Matt's pick up truck she was worried he wasn't home.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, "Hey Syl," she answered.

"OK, don't panic, but Matt wasn't home."

"Crap, who should I call?"

"Don't worry, he said he was going to call Severide to come and check it out."

Danielle panicked. Not because of the stove and what she thought was gas, but because she was in her her pajamas with one of the best looking guys she has ever seen on his way over.

She ran over to the bay window still on the phone with Sylvie - "Thank you so much!" she lied through her teeth. "I see him crossing the street now."

"Ok great, let me know how it goes. Glad I could help." Danielle was barely listening to her because she in the bathroom brushing her teeth to rid them of the red wine stains.

She nearly jumped out of her socks when her buzzer alerted her to someone at the door. She looked herself once over in the mirror, 'this will have to do.'

"Come on up." She said into the intercom.

She unlocked her front door and opened in slightly went to the kitchen to examine the stove one more time to make sure she wasn't hallucinating this whole thing.

She heard a quick rap on the door, "Come in!" She called from the kitchen, "I'm over here."

She drank in him when he appeared in the entryway to her kitchen. His grey sweatpants sat low and loose on his hips, while his fitted CFD t-shirt was tight in all the right places.

"Thank you for coming over, I hope I'm not keeping you from anything."

"No problem at all," he grinned. "I was just watching tv. What seems to be the problem?"

She motioned for him to come over to the stove. "Not sure, every time I try to turn the stove on it just clicks and then I get this weird smell." She reached for the knob to show him and he quickly grabbed her hand, "No don't, I smell gas."

Danielle's skin flushed. She wondered if he felt the jolt of electricity when he touched her too.

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, "Do you think it's the pilot light?"

"Let's take a look. All of your windows are opened, right?"

"Of course."

"Good girl."

Kelly opened the stove up, "do you have one of those torch lighters?"

"In the drawer to your right."

He grabbed it, and went into the stove one more time. "Yeah, looks like the pilot light went out."

He deftly took the lighter and solved the issue of the non working stove. He turned the burner on and Danielle watched the fire emerge from the stove top.

"Thank you so much!" Danielle said excitedly.

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "You know, typical hero stuff here."

Danielle looked up him, "You are the best." This was the most conversation they ever had. "Can I shut the windows now? I'm freezing."

Kelly looked around her place, "Why don't you leave just a few open … just for a little while longer."

Danielle nodded, "you're the expert."

"Expecting company?" Not making the move to get up even though his job was done.

"Hmm?" Danielle asked confused. Did he not see her outfit?

He nodded toward the glass of wine.

"Oh no - sometimes you just come home from work and need to unwind, you know?"

"I know that feeling."

"Shit! I'm so sorry, the least I can do is offer you something to drink!"

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Not a all! Would you like a glass of wine? Or I think I have beer in the fridge?

"Beer, if you got it."

Danielle opened the fridge door and sighed in relief when she saw three in there. She grabbed one and the bottle opener from the drawer and handed it over.

He closed his eyes, tipped his head back and took a long pull from the beer. Danielle sipped her wine and watched him intently.

"Rough day for you too?" She inquired.

He watched her take another small sip. "Off day actually." He replied. "Just trying to unwind too, I guess. Long shift yesterday."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I am sure you didn't need me playing damsel in distress over a pilot light while you are trying to relax." She lowered her eyes into her wine glass.

"I told you, it's no trouble at all." His eyes darted around her apartment, "Nice place you have here." He continued.

"Thanks, still trying to make it my own I guess."

"Looks cozy. He continued, "What brings you out here?"

"Change of scenery." Danielle responded after a sip of her drink.

Danielle did not offer up any other details, nor did Kelly ask.

"So, I was just about to make some dinner. Would you like to stay?" She asked while handing him a second beer.

Kelly raised an eyebrow and popped opened his second beer.

"Pasta is on the menu," Danielle hesitated, "nothing too special."

Kelly smiled at her. He thought Danielle was charming. "That's very sweet of you to ask, but I have dinner plans to meet a friend downtown later on tonight."

Danielle turned to the stove, hiding her disappointment. "No worries."

"Rain check?" Kelly asked.

Danielle turned back towards him biting her lower lip. "Sure thing."

She turned the stove on under the pot water she had filled from before.

Kelly downed the rest of his beer and took that as his cue to head out. "Well, I should let you enjoy your dinner then."

"I really can't thank you enough for helping me out." Danielle walked with him to the door.

He picked up a pen and a take out menu from the table at her front door and jotted down his number. "Call me if it happens again."

Danielle took the menu from his hand, "Will do." She smiled up at him.

He paused for a moment looking down at her, smiled, and walked away.

She shut the door behind him and ran her thumb over the fresh ink. She picked up her cell phone and keyed the number in with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**The chill in the air was particularly cold that morning. Danielle wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck, slung her bag over her shoulder, and shoved her hands in her pockets. She was happy when her cold nose was greeted by the warm air of the coffee shop when she flung the door open. She got in line at the coffee shop and wondered how it could be this cold in early October.**

"Usual, Danielle?" The barista behind the counter asked.

"Good morning, Joe, yes please." Danielle replied while looking through her bag for the five dollar bill she put in there this morning.

"It's on me," said a male voice from behind her and his slid a few bills on to the counter.

Danielle turned to look behind her and was met by the steel blue gaze of Kelly Severide. She smiled warmly at him and could feel her cheeks start to flush. She wondered if noticed how that always seemed to happen in his presence.

"Thanks Kelly." Danielle said through her smile. He smelled fresh from the shower. He must be on his way to work too, he was dressed in jeans and a dark jacket. A dark wool cap covered his salt and pepper hair.

She picked up her coffee, "On the way to work?"

"Yeah, another day, another shift."

"I hope it's a good one. Please tell everyone I said hello." Danielle said as she headed for the door. She raised her cup up, "thanks again for the coffee."

"Anytime." Severide replied with a smile.

 **Kelly Severide used the morning drive to work to clear his mind. Danielle and him had been dancing around each other for two months now. She had a certain charm, not like the more aggressive girls he was used to. If she were anything like the women he was used to hanging out with, he would've slept with her already. He's glad he hasn't, but it's not like he doesn't want to.**

He always caught himself looking up at her apartment when he got home, he always had an eye on her when they were at Molly's. He smiled at the memory of helping her out with her pilot light last month too. She looked so cute with her hair up and dressed down. He loved how her cheeks were always rosy, and he loved her smile. He hatched a plan for Friday after shift.

 **Danielle walked into her apartment and kicked off her heels leaving them by her front door. She was exhausted and so happy it was finally Friday. She had no plans for the night and welcomed the time to herself.**

She immediately went to her room to change out of her school clothes. She slipped into a pair loose fit cozy pajama pants, long sleeve boyfriend tee and fuzzy socks. Her hair was up on top of her head and she fell into her couch to wrap a blanket around her and turn on the tv.

She must've closed her eyes for a while because she woke up to the sound of her phone ringing.

"Hey mom. What's going on?"

"Are you sleeping?"

"Long day, I was just laying on the couch."

"How is school going?"

Danielle looked down at her watch, how could it be 7pm already? "School's great, mom." She chatted with her mom as she went through her drawer of take out menus deciding what to have for dinner tonight.

She jumped at the sound of her door buzzer alerting her that someone was downstairs.

"Hold on a sec, mom."

She pressed the intercom button, "Hello?"

"It's Kelly." She heard the voice from downstairs say. She froze.

"Who is Kelly?" Her mom asked into the phone.

"Sorry mom," she whispered. "Can I call you later?"

"Wait," her mom whispered back, "but who is Kelly?"

"Why are you whispering?" Danielle asked.

She pressed the intercom button and said, "Come on up."

"Because you are!" Her mom replied.

"I love you mom, but I really have to go." She hurried into the phone.

"OK, call me tomorrow. I love you too."

She darted into the bathroom to rub the sleep out of her eyes and swish some mouthwash into her mouth.

There was a rap at the front door.

"Coming!" Danielle yelled from the bathroom. She gave herself a once over, there was no time to change.

She unlocked the front door kicking her shoes out of the way to let Kelly in. He stood there with a pizza one hand a six pack of beer in another.

"Oh, what's this?" Danielle asked surprised.

"I knew Brett and Dawson were at training classes tonight," he said as he walked in, "So I figured you would be home to cash in from that rain check a few weeks ago."

"Come on in." Danielle smiled at him, she was happy to see him. "How did you know I was even home?" She teased. "I have other friends, you know."

"I saw your car on the street and the light on from my place." He said sheepishly, "I took a gamble."

Danielle took the six pack pulled two beers out and put them on the counter. She put the remaining ones in the fridge. "I'm glad you did."

Kelly twisted off the caps to both of them and handed one to her. They clinked bottles and took a long sip. Danielle went to the cabinet for some paper plates and napkins.

"I hope you don't mind that I'm not fancy when it comes to pizza." She said as she placed a paper plate and napkin in front of him.

"I don't mind casual at all." He said giving her a look from head to toe, "Nice socks by the way."

Danielle blushed, "My feet are always cold!"

Kelly laughed, "Well one day, I will take you on a real date, and you may have to get dressed up."

Danielle paused as she bit into her slice. She chewed quietly and watched him. Did he just ask her out?

He sipped his beer watching her contemplate what he just said. He changed the subject.

"How was school this week?"

Danielle's eyes lit up, she loved her new job. "It was great, thanks. I really love PS 134, it is such a great school."

"That's good. You know, if you ever need anyone to come in and talk about fire safety," Kelly paused taking a bite, "I'm sure Herrmann would love too." he laughed.

"That's actually not a terrible idea." Danielle thought for a moment.

Kelly wasn't sure if he got the joke. "Wait, what?"

She slapped him on the shoulder, "I'm just messing with you."

She dropped a second piece on Kelly's plate and grabbed one for herself too. She was starving.

"Oh good, for a second there, I thought you didn't want me hanging around."

Danielle laughed, 'if he only knew,' she thought to herself.

"You have a great laugh." Kelly said after he sipped his beer.

"Thank you," Danielle blushed. She turned towards the fridge so he wouldn't catch her grinning to herself. She pulled another beer out for him. "Another?"

"Yes, please." He said taking it from her extended hand. Their fingers brushed for a moment.

"So, uh," Kelly cleared his throat. "No plans tonight?"

Danielle plopped back down on the bar stool at her long kitchen counter. "Some of the girls from work asked me to go check out that new movie playing downtown." Danielle paused, sipping from her beer, "But I liked the idea of hanging home tonight."

"I'm glad you did." Kelly smiled.

"Yeah, me too." Danielle returned the grin.

"What are you plans for tomorrow?" Kelly asked.

"Nothing special," she said after another sip, "I was just going to run to the farmers market, and take care of some other errands….You?" Danielle wondered if he was going to invite her out tomorrow night.

"Shift day tomorrow."

"Ah, 24 on, 48 off." Danielle nodded taking a sip for her beer.

"That's right. I was wondering if you want to stop by 51 to hang out for a little. Maybe have lunch?"

"I wouldn't want to be in the way." Danielle said.

"Please, if anyone is in the way, it's Otis." Kelly smiled as Danielle let out a laugh.

"I'm so telling him you said that." She giggled.

"I'm just kidding." Kelly replied. "But I am serious about you coming by, I'm sure Brett and Dawson would love to see you too."

Danielle considered it for a second, and responded coyly, "Maybe I could swing by for a little."

Kelly Severide feigned hurt, "Just so you know, I have a hard time taking no for an answer."

Danielle threw her head back and laughed out loud again. "I guess I'll be there then, I wouldn't want to disappoint my hero."

It was 9am on Saturday morning, Danielle had slept in pretty late for her. She woke up with a smile on her face remembering last night with Kelly. They polished off the 6 pack that he had brought, and he even finished off the few that Danielle had in her fridge.

She really enjoyed spending time with him sitting on the couch just talking about work, family, and their friends until about midnight last night. Kelly was ever the gentleman and did not even try to make a move on Danielle until he got up to leave.

Danielle was feeling a tipsy from the drinking and leaned in to give him a big hug. He brought his face to the top of her head and breathed her in before pressing his lips to her forehead.

"We should do this again sometime." He said as he pulled out of their embrace.

"I would love too." Danielle smiled as she showed him out.

Her stomach was full of butterflies that morning. She hopped in the shower excited to see Kelly again later on that day.

Danielle ran her hands over her tight dark denim skinny jeans. She pulled her off the shoulder black sweater over head and slipped on a pair of black ankle boots. She ran her fingers through her wavy hair trying to smooth it down. She added a bit of make up, her watch and gold stud earrings. She tied her favorite blue scarf around her neck and was out the door with her black leather jacket.

She spent the morning at the farmer's market looking for some groceries for the week. She also wanted to surprise everyone with some treats for lunch today. Her phone buzzed in her pocket as she scanned the fresh fruit.

"So - I'm sitting in the ambo doing inventory totally eavesdropping on Severide talking to the squad guys about how he was at your place last night. Why did you not immediately call me this morning!" Danielle smiled at the text from Sylvie, she was so funny.

"LOL - I was actually about to text you as well. He invited me to come by the house today for lunch :o)

"He is telling Capp and Tony that now. WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?"

"We just ate some pizza, drank some beer and hung out and talked really."

"Sleepover?" That was Sylvie's way of asking of they had slept together.

"Nope. He left right after midnight. He was a perfect gentlemen."

"That means he likes you!"

"You think?"

"Oh yeah!"

"I hope so." She confided in her.

"The way he is talking to Capp and Tony now, sounds like he's smitten."

"You are making me blush!"

"Haha! What time do you think you are going to head over?"

"Probably around 1"

"OK, I'll see you then!"

"See you later :)"

Danielle picked up a few fresh pies to bring with her to the firehouse. She headed home to drop off the rest of her groceries and then she was going to head over to the firehouse.

The sun was shining brightly today, but it was still a little chilly. Severide sat at the Squad table in the bay his eyes diverting to the door with every noise that came from that area.

"Bro, you gotta relax." Capp teased.

"What, man? I am relaxed." Severide replied.

"OK, if you say so." Tony chimed in.

A few minutes later he heard the clicking of heels as they walk across the apparatus floor. He turned to drink her in. She always looked cute, but today, she looked hot. Her long hair flowed in waves past her shoulders. He smiled as his eyes traveled down her legs, those pants were made for her. He also really loved a girl that could rock a leather jacket.

She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. "Hey there," she said, "I brought these for you guys."

Severide took the boxes from her grasp and looked into her blue eyes. "You didn't have to."

"I know, but I wanted to."

Capp coughed out, "Keeper."

Severide flashed him a death stare and while Danielle cheeks became pink.

"Come on. Let's go see what truck is making for lunch today."

He held the boxes in his left hand and led her in with his right hand on the small of her back. Danielle felt the fire in his small gesture.

"Hey Danielle!" Sylvie ran up to her friend and gave her a big hug. "I heard you were coming by today."

Severide looked at Brett sideways. How did she know that, he wondered.

"What do you have over there?" Mouch asked Severide from the couch.

"Nothing for you." Severide smirked.

"They are pies from the farmers market this morning." Danielle added, "plenty for everyone."

"That is so sweet of you, Danielle." Sylvie chimed in. "Hey, can I give you a tour of the place?"

"Sounds great!" Danielle said while peeking over at Kelly.

He nodded in her direction telling her to go on.

Sylvie linked arms with Danielle and led her towards the bunks.

"Has he taken you out on a real date?" Inquired Sylvie once they were out of earshot.

"No, he just hung at my place last night. He mentioned that he wanted to take me out, but he hasn't said anything since." Danielle replied.

"I wonder if I can get any information out of the Casey or the Squad guys."

Danielle giggled, "It's ok Syl, I don't want to make this into a huge thing. We are not in high school anymore. Plus, I am fine with taking it slow."

"As long as I've known Severide, I have never seen him take anything slow."

"He's a nice guy though, right?"

"Some say he's a bad boy with a heart of gold." Sylvie said.

"I just can't get hurt badly, not a again." Danielle sighed.

Sylvie did not inquire into what Danielle said, she just offered up, "I hear that."

Kelly met them near the locker room. "Is the tour over? Lunch is ready."

"Oh good, I'm starved." Sylvie said. The trio walked back to the kitchen area. Danielle took a seat between Dawson and Cruz at the table seated across from Severide. She admired the whole family feel at the table while they sat and ate. She could tell what a tight knit group they had become over the years and loved how they welcomed in newcomers like herself as well.

"Are you enjoying Chicago so far, Dani?" Otis asked.

"Oh, Yes, it really is such a beautiful city."

"It is, except...when it's not." Herrmann replied. He seemed to get the attention of the table with his last comment.

"What do you mean?" Danielle inquired.

Casey interjected, "I agree with Hermann. I think he means that we see a lot of terrible things on this job."

Herrmann nodded and added, "It's tough to un-see the worst in humans and the awful things they do."

"When did you become so cynical?" Kelly chimed in, "What about when we see the best? There are those moments when people really step up, when their true character is revealed to be genuinely good."

Dawson nodded in agreement. "Like that fire from a few years ago, when that dad laid across his whole family to protect them."

"What happened to him?" Danielle asked.

Dawson dropped her eyes, "His burns were too severe. He didn't make it."

Danielle played with the napkin in her lap. "I really admire what you all do." She looked around the table, "Seriously, thank you."

Herrmann nodded in her direction silently thanking her too. "Alright, enough of this." He smiled, "Squad's on cleanup duty!"

Capp groaned, "Ugh, we need another candidate in here as soon as possible!"

Danielle laughed, "I'll help too!"

Sylvie shot her a look, "No way! You're our guest!"

"Oh please. You guys were nice enough to have me. The least I can do is pull my own weight around here."

Severide began picking up plates from arount the table and Herrmann whispered to Mouch, "When was the last time you saw Severide on cleanup duty."

Mouch laughed, "Not since before he made lieutenant." He added, "and I don't even think he did it then."

After Danielle and the guys finished cleaning up lunch an announcement blared through the house speaker system. "Lieutenants Casey and Severide, please report to the Chief's Office."

"Casey, tell Boden I'll be in a minute. I'm just gonna walk Dani out."

"You got it."

Severide led Danielle back out to the apparatus floor. "That sounds serious." She said referring to the announcement.

"I'm sure it's all good." Severide said, "If it were serious he would have come to get us from the common room himself."

"That's good." She turned to Severide when they got to the driveway. She put her hands in her pocket in an effort to warm them up.

"So, uh, I was wondering," he said with a confident smile, "would you like to grab dinner on Saturday?"

Danielle matched his smile, "I would really like that."

"Great, it's a date then. I'll pick you up at 8."

"You know where I live?" Danielle joked.

"I think I'll find it." He grinned.

Their moment was interrupted by the alarm blaring. "Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61 - car accident 18th and Michigan Avenue."

"Duty calls." Severide said squeezing his hand on her hip.

"Stay safe."

He winked at her.

Danielle watched as everyone quickly geared up and headed out, Severide gave her a wave as the squad truck pulled out.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N - Thank you to everyone who took the time to review. I am having fun with this story, and I am glad some of you like it!_

The following week was a blur for Danielle. She was so excited about her date with Kelly on Saturday, that she asked Sylvie to go shopping with her on Thursday.

"What do you think of this one?" Danielle asked pulling a red dress off the rack at Bloomingdales.

"I think blue is more your color. It brings out your eyes."

"You're so sweet, Syl!"

She was thumbing through the racks on the other side of her. "Did he say where he was taking you?"

"He called last night and mentioned something about the 646 Restaurant on Michigan Ave."

"Oooooh, fancy!"

"Is it? I've never been."

"Oh yeah. Great spot for a first date."

"I'm sure it is. I'm happy with just eating pizza on my couch!"

"Really?" Sylvie raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, don't get me wrong. I love to get dressed up and go out," Danielle started. "But sometimes it's easier to be yourself when you are in the comfort of your own home."

"I think it's time to step out of your comfort zone." Sylvie exclaimed pulling a little black dress off the rack and holding it up for Danielle see.

"Oh yeah!" Danielle said. "That is certainly an attention getter."

"You have to try it on." Sylvie said handing her the dress.

"OK, let's try it!" Danielle said matching her excitement.

Danielle examined herself in the mirror. She loved the way the dress hugged her body. It wasn't too short, and not too long. The scallop detail on the three-quarter sleeves was adorable and the keyhole cutout under the bust was hot.

"Well, let's see it." Sylvie said from the other side of the curtain.

Danielle pushed the curtain open and studied Sylvie's face when she saw her. "Does it look like I'm trying to hard?"

"Oh my goodness, no!" Sylvie yelled. "That dress is amazing!"

"Yeah?" Danielle questioned. "Are you sure it's appropriate?"

"Dani, if you don't buy it right now, I am going to buy it for myself."

Danielle laughed, "Ok, I trust you on this one! I'm getting it and it's yours to borrow whenever you want," she paused, "except on Saturday!"

Sylvie gave her the thumbs up, "you are gonna knock him dead in that!"

'I hope so,' she said to herself.

Finally Saturday had arrived. Danielle had been up early that morning and was on her way to the coffee shop on the corner for her morning fix. She had her earbuds in listening to music and her mind was in a daydream as she walked down the street. A honk from a blue mustang snapped her out of her daze.

"Hey you," Kelly said as his pulled the car over. "Enjoying a walk this morning?"

"Yeah, you know," Danielle smiled as she leaned into the open passenger side window of the car, "a girl needs her coffee." She studied Kelly's face, he looked tired. "You ok?" She asked him.

"I will be when I get some sleep." He said, "We had such a long call last night."

"Are you still up for dinner tonight?" Danielle tried to hide her disappointment, "because if not, I totally understand."

"Trust me," Kelly smiled, "you won't get rid of me that easily."

"Great. You can tell me all about it tonight." Danielle said biting her lower lip.

Kelly dropped his eyes to her mouth. He wasn't sure if she knew what she did to him when she did that. It was so sexy.

"Go take a nap, I'll see you later." Danielle added.

"See you tonight." He winked at her.

"See you then."

He watched Danielle walk away in the direction of the coffee shop. He had been more excited to take Danielle out that night, than he had been with anyone else in awhile. But first, he definitely needed to sleep.

It felt like Danielle had been nervously getting ready all afternoon, and she still wasn't done. She was in the in the process of finishing her hair when she heard the buzzer alerting her that someone was at the door. She glanced at the clock, "Shit. He's early." She hit the intercom button, "Hello?"

"It's Kelly." Danielle melted at the sound of the huskiness in his voice.

"Hey there, I need like 5 more minutes, do you want to come up?" She said into the intercom as she multitasked by slipping on a pair black pumps.

"Sure, no problem."

She buzzed him in and went to go unlock and crack open the front door. She then ducked back into the bathroom to give herself a once over.

Kelly knocked and then let himself in. "I'm here."

"Two more minutes, I'm sorry!" Danielle called from the bathroom. "I heard you like whiskey, there is a bottle on the counter if you want to help yourself."

Kelly smiled to himself. 'Nice move.' He liked her even more already.

"Glasses are in the cabinet next to the fridge. Can you pour me one too?"

"Of course." He called out.

The glass had just hit Kelly's lips when Danielle emerged into the kitchen. He froze mid sip and starred.

"Wow. You. Look. Incredible." He said making a move to be closer to her.

"Thank you. You sure do clean up nice yourself." Danielle teased back at him.

She walked over to give him a peck on the cheek. The mixture of cologne and his freshness from the shower was intoxicating. He handed her a glass of whiskey and they clinked glasses in silence just looking at each other as they sipped.

Danielle took in Kelly's appearance. He had on a dark grey button down shirt and a pair of black jeans. His shirt was open at the collar. His salt and pepper hair looked like it was still a little wet from a shower and the right amount of scruff on his face was sexy. He didn't look like any of the guys Danielle had ever dated, he looked like a man.

"So," Danielle said breaking the silence, "how is the food at this place." Danielle looked at him through her eyelashes as she took another sip.

"Definitely not as good as you look." Kelly flirted.

Danielle blushed and bit her lip nervously. Kelly smiled at her reaction. He had brought his A game tonight.

"Tell me about your call last night." Danielle said changing the subject.

"It was a rough one." Kelly dropped his eyes into the glass and took a long sip. "It was a carbon monoxide alarm. When we got there, we saw that there was a family passed out in the living room."

Danielle furrowed her brow, "that's terrible."

"Yea. You never get used to something like that. We were able to get the kids out in time, but their parents didn't make it." Kelly looked down into his glass obviously affected by the tragedy.

Danielle walked over to him and put her hand on his arm. "I'm sure that you- you all- did everything you could have done for that family."

Kelly put his hand on top of hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You learn to think about the lives you save, rather than the ones you lose on this job, but some things take a while to leave you."

"Those kids have a long road ahead of them, but at least they have the opportunity." She looked deeply into his cobalt eyes. She saw a kind and gentle man in them.

Kelly broke their gaze by glancing down at his watch. "We should head out if we want to make it to the restaurant in time."

Danielle took that as a sign that he didn't really want to talk about it anymore.

"Ok, let me just grab my coat."

Kelly slipped his jacket back on and helped Danielle with hers. They walked downstairs and he helped her into the passenger side of his blue mustang.

The ride over was quiet, Kelly seemed to be deep in thought. Danielle looked over at him and grabbed his right hand that was resting on his leg. He looked over and smiled, appreciating the affectionate gesture.

Kelly seemed to shake his thoughts and turn the charm back on during dinner. He admired the way Danielle spoke so fondly of her family and friends back in New York. She would get so excited talking about her brother and how proud she was of him. She became more animated and open during dinner as well. She had such a beautiful smile and a great laugh, he thought to himself. He watched her mouth as she was talking, he looked for ways to compliment her so she would nervously bite her lip like he liked.

Danielle felt so at ease with Kelly. She was confident, bubbly, and really let her personality come out. Maybe she finally was stepping out of her comfort zone like Sylvie said. Plus, she knew the dress was really working for her. They sat and talked for hours. The only time Kelly took his hand off of Danielle's was when he paid the check as the restaurant was closing down.

After dinner, Kelly drove them back home. "Do you want to come over for another drink," He asked her, hoping she would say yes.

Danielle really did want to spend more time with Kelly, but she also didn't want to give him the wrong idea. She wasn't sleeping with him tonight.

"Just one drink? Kelly put his hands up, "I promise to behave!" He laughed.

Danielle nervously bit her lip, 'It's not you I'm worried about.' She thought to herself. "I guess one won't hurt." Danielle smiled.

Kelly leaned over after parking the car and touched his lips to hers for a sweet, but short, peck on the mouth.

"What was that for?" Danielle asked. Thankfully it was dark so Kelly couldn't see her rosy cheeks.

"That has been something I've wanted to do since I first saw you in the coffee shop on your first day in Chicago."

They walked hand in hand up to his apartment door.

"Is Matt home?" Danielle asked.

"He mentioned he was staying at Dawson's tonight." Kelly unlocked the front door and led Danielle in. He took her coat, and gave her a quick tour.

"I love your place." Danielle said. "It's so nice, I would never think that two guys lived here."

Kelly laughed, "I can't take credit for the decorations. Dawson and Casey actually took me in when they were living together."

"Oh yeah?" Danielle asked, "I never realized they lived together. What happened?"

"They hit a little rough patch not too long ago," Kelly continued. He grabbed two glasses from the bar and a bottle of whiskey from the counter. "I think they are still working things out."

"I'm sure it can't be easy," Danielle added. "Living together and working together."

"Casey and I seem to make it work." Kelly laughed as he poured a drink for Danielle and himself.

"You know what I mean!" Danielle gave him a playful slap on the wrist before they clinked glasses.

"To a great night." Kelly toasted.

"Great night." Danielle added looking up him from across the kitchen island.

They looked into each other's eyes as they sipped their drinks.

"Wait here," Kelly started, "I have something for you."

Danielle put her drink down and took her make up compact out of her small bag. She quickly reapplied some lipstick while Kelly slipped into his bedroom for a moment. She ran her fingers through her hair. She's not sure if it was the wine from dinner, the whiskey now, or Kelly but she felt at ease being there. She felt herself around him.

"What do you have there?" Danielle flirted, after Kelly emerged a minute later hiding something behind his back.

"Well," Kelly started, "I couldn't help but notice that you have a thing for socks." Kelly handed her a pair of blue and white fuzzy socks just like the ones she wears around her apartment.

Danielle laughed, "my favorite color too!" Danielle kicked off her black pumps and they hit the hardwood floor with a plop. "I hope you don't mind if I make myself comfortable."

Kelly's voice lowered, "not at all."

Danielle slipped on her new socks and and stood up. "How to I look?" She asked pretending to model them.

"So hot." Kelly said as he took her by her waist and pulled her closer.

Danielle leaned in to touch her lips to his. He tasted like whiskey. She parted her lips to deepen the kiss. Kelly pulled back for a breath, raised and eyebrow and leaned into her again. He pushed his body into hers, his hands were on her face and his thumbs were lightly brushing her cheeks. Danielle soon felt the counter on her back and Kelly's weight on her front. She ran her hands over his muscular arms and down his strong back. She felt the electricity in his kiss.

His kisses became intense and feverish. Kelly couldn't get enough of her, he wanted to ravish her. She was not showing any signs of letting up either. He ran his hands through her hair and down her back searching for the zipper of her dress.

Danielle pulled back. "Woah." She breathed in. She felt drunk. Kelly showed no signs of stopping as his hands were squeezing her hips, he was breathing in her in as he planted small pecks down her neck. Danielle took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Kelly asked looking at her swollen lips.

"Nothing," she said. "You're amazing." She looked up into his blue eyes, they had become dark with lust. "I just need to slow down." She grabbed her glass and took a big sip.

Kelly smiled, "I understand."

"You don't mind, do you?" Danielle asked. "You know, taking things slow?"

"I really like you." Kelly said pretty matter of factly. "Of course I don't mind."

Danielle took a step towards him, smiling. She looked up into his eyes he put her hand on her cheek. She wiped some lipstick from his bottom lip before kissing him one last time. "I should go."

"I don't want you to."

She kissed him again. "I don't want to either, but I should."

Kelly held her hands, "Come on." He said, "I'll walk you home."

"Such a gentlemen," she said while leaning down to take off her socks and slip her heels back on. "Here you go." She handed them back to him.

"I got those for you." He said a little confused.

"I know." Danielle smiled. "I thought I would just leave them here for next time I come over."

Kelly got the message loud and clear. "They will always be here for you."

"When can I see you again?" Danielle asked as they stood in the doorway of her apartment after Kelly walked her back across the street.

"Tomorrow?" Kelly asked,

"Tomorrow it is." Danielle said giving him one last kiss goodnight.

"I'll call you in the morning." He said returning her kiss for the last time that night.

She shut the door and headed towards the bay window to watch him cross the street. Kelly looked up at the window when he was outside and saw her looking down at him smiling. He needed a shower. A cold one.

Danielle awoke Sunday morning to her phone buzzing on her nightstand.

"Good morning, Sylvie." Danielle whispered into the phone.

"I've been waiting to talk to you all night!" Sylvie said excitedly. "Tell me everything! He's not there is he?"

Danielle giggled like a fangirl at Justin Bieber concert. "No, he's not here."

"Really? I want all the juicy details!"

Danielle got herself out of bed and chatted with Sylvie as she made her way towards the living room to look outside. She spilled her guts to Sylvie about the night before, gushing over the intimate details as she sat on the couch gazing out the window. She saw Kelly emerge from his doorway and head towards his car. She wondered where he was going this early in the morning. She remembered that he said he wanted to see her again today. Danielle ended her chat with Sylvie and decided it was time to get her day started. She took a quick shower, slipped on her favorite black leggings and fuzzy socks. She clipped her hair on top her head intending on blowing it out later and pulled an oversized cozy cardigan sweater over her black cami. She was just about to pull her toaster out to make some breakfast when her buzzer went off alerting her to someone at the door.

"Hello?" Daniellesaid into the intercom. She was not expecting any company.

"Hey you, it's Kelly."

Danielle smiled. "No gas leak here today, Lieutenant." She teased. "Is this just a house call?"

Kelly laughed to himself, "Trust me, this is not a business call."

Danielle buzzed him in. "Come on up."

She opened the front door and waited for him in the doorway. He arrived with a smile and a bag of groceries.

"What do you have there," Danielle asked peeking into the bag.

"Breakfast." He replied with a grin.

"Oooh, so sweet of you."

Kelly leaned down to give her a kiss.

"I wish you would've given me a little warning. I'm not really dressed for a date."

Kelly looked her up and down, "You look perfect." He added, "Especially in those socks."

Danielle's cheeks flushed. She started pulling things out of the bag that he set out on the counter. "So, what's for breakfast?" She asked.

"Don't worry, I'll take of it."

"I can't help?" She asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Well, if you insist."

Danielle and Kelly got to work whisking some eggs and chopping some vegetables for omelets. They flirted while they worked, Kelly stealing kisses whenever Danielle was near him.

"Uh, I am so full!" Danielle said as she put one last forkful in her mouth. She started clearing the plates from her kitchen island.

She piled the dishes and pans into the sink and started to run the water to let them soak.

"Let me help you with that." He said as he came up from behind her and snaked his hands around her waist. She tilted her head to the side to give him access to her neck.

"That was delicious." Danielle said, "Thank you." Kelly turned her at the waist so that now she was facing him.

He didn't speak, he just leaned down to kiss her his eyes had darkened. Danielle put her arms around his neck and let him lead her in the passionate kiss. Her hands roamed all over his well toned body. Up his arms, down his back, finally resting on the waistband of his t-shirt.

In the heat of the moment, Danielle pulled Kelly's shirt up over his head and attacked his mouth again

"Woah," Kelly said with hooded eyes, "what happened to taking it slow."

Danielle bit her lip and took her sweater off, leaving her in just her camisole, "I'm over that." Danielle smiled into her kiss. Kelly's hands ran down her waist over her butt, he gave her a playful squeeze, "Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything." Danielle said looking deep into his blue eyes.

Kelly's arms flexed as he lifted her up by the backs of her thighs, she wrapped her legs around him and pointed to the direction of the bedroom. Danielle squealed in excitement.

The duo spent all day in bed. Danielle had never, ever, experienced anything like Kelly Severide before. He was insatiable. She loved every second of his kisses, his touches, the way he made her feel.

She had just woken after for their latest tryst in bed. His eyes were closed but his fingers were lightly running up and down her goosebumped skin.

"Do you need water as bad as I do?" She asked but not making any effort to get up.

"We should re-hydrate soon." He said, eyes still closed a smile playing across his lips.

Danielle got up. She pulled his CFD t-shirt over her naked body and got up to get them some waters. She pulled the collar up to inhale his scent. She handed him a bottle of water as she climbed back into bed. He sat up to check the time on his phone.

"We should order dinner soon."

"Is it that late already?"

"I'm going to need some food if we are going to keep going."

Danielle snuggled up in crook of his arm. "You still have more left to give?"

Kelly squeezed her close to him, "Is that a challenge, babe?

Danielle just laughed as they started to make out like teenagers again.

Monday morning, Danielle awoke to the sound of her alarm and Kelly's strong arms wrapped around her petite frame.

"Ugh, turn it off." She heard Kelly whisper into her ear.

"You know I can't. School day for me, shift day for you."

"Let's both just take the day off today?" Kelly asked not letting her get out of bed.

"Come on sleepy head, I have to get in the shower."

"Is that an invitation?"

Danielle slapped his hand away.

Somehow she managed to get herself ready for school even though Kelly was watching her every move, naked, teasing her from her bed.

She gave him one last kiss goodbye, "lock up when you leave please."

Kelly's CFD t-shirt was on Danielle's bed when she got back home that night. He had made her bed and tried to clean up their mess in the kitchen from the night before as well.

Danielle had traded a few texts with him that day, but she could tell it was a busy one by how sporadic they were. She was hoping that he would call later on. She slipped out of her work clothes and added them to her ever growing pile of laundry. That was something she could do to keep herself busy. She threw on a pair of baggy sweatpants and Kelly's t-shirt. She couldn't bring herself to wash that just yet, not when it still smelled like him. Her phone buzzed on the counter a few hours later.

"Hey you." She said into the receiver.

"Hey there," Kelly answered back. "What are you doing over there?"

"Just some laundry and catching up on all the things I was _supposed_ to do yesterday, but didn't"

Kelly laughed, "Sorry to keep you from your housekeeping."

"Trust me, I spent the day doing exactly what and who I wanted to be doing." Danielle flirted.

Kelly cleared his throat, "me too." Danielle figured he must have been with the guys, that's why he was keeping his answers short.

"I'm wearing the t-shirt you left." Daniellekept flirting. "Thank you.

A mental picture of Danielle wearing nothing but his t-shirt flooded his mind. "Don't tease me, babe." He whispered into the phone.

"Mmmhmm," Danielle said into the phone. "How was your day."

"Couple of calls," Severide said, his voice returning back to normal. "Nothing too bad. Yours."

"Kids were good today." Danielle started, "I think because they saw that I was in such a great mood."

"Well hopefully we can continue that great mood when I am off tomorrow." Severide said.

"Tomorrow is Tuesday." Danielle thought for second, "That's my date night with Sylvie."

"Something tells me she won't mind if I steal you away."

"Well, we will have to see about that."

Danielle pulled the phone away from her ear when she heard the alarms blaring in the firehouse.

"Gotta run baby, duty calls."

"Stay safe." She ended the call with click


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N - Again, THANK YOU to all those who follow and review. I am so glad you like reading this as much as I like writing it!_ :)

* * *

"Beer?" Danielle asked Kelly who was laying on her couch.

"Definitely yes."

She pulled one out from her fridge, twisted the top off and brought it over to where he was lying. "Can you make some room for me too please?" She asked, swatting his leg playfully.

Kelly grabbed her legs with his strong arms and pulled her down.

"Be careful!" She squealed. "I don't want to spill this!"

He took the bottle and put it on the end table, "come lay with me." He sat up to allow her to nestle herself in next to him. He put his arm around her to give her access to his chest and shoulder to lean into.

"Much better," She smiled as she traced the font on his t-shirt.

It was the Tuesday before and Danielle had made Kelly a little turkey dinner so the could celebrate together. Danielle was flying home to Jersey to see her family the next night, and he was on shift for the holiday.

"I'm going to miss you tomorrow." He said while running his fingers through her shiny brunette hair.

"I know, I am going to miss you too. Thank goodness I'll be back on Friday though."

"You haven't seen your family since you left, huh?"

"Not physically, but my mom loves to facetime." Danielle laughed.

"Are you excited?"

"To see them? Yes." She paused. "For all the questions? No."

"What questions?" He inquired.

"About you." She said.

"Really?" He smiled. "Like what?"

"How did you meet? Can I see a picture? When can we meet him?" Danielle said imitating her mother's voice.

"I would love to meet your parents. I offered to fly out with you." Kelly said.

"I know, and trust me, I really appreciate the offer." She hesitated, "But I wouldn't want to put you through the gauntlet this early." She looked up at him. "You may not want to date me anymore."

Kelly pressed his lips to her forehead. "Don't you think we are little past dating."

She smiled at him, "What do you mean?"

"Well," he said giving her a playful squeeze, "you're my girlfriend."

Danielle's blue eyes met his blue eyes and she kissed him passionately. They had been dating for a little over a month now and had been spending every free second they had with each other. They were inseparable at Molly's and even spent most nights at each other's places. Sylvie was right, Kelly Severide did not take anything slow, and Danielle was falling hard. She was happy to hear him call her _his_.

"I like you, boyfriend." She teased.

"I like you too." He smiled at her.

* * *

The next day Danielle was back in New Jersey for Thanksgiving with her family.

"So," her Aunt Rose started, "your mother tells me you met a guy in Chicago."

Her family had not even sat down for dinner yet, and already the questions are starting.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Danielle said trying not to let on too much information.

"Well, where is he? Are we are going to meet him? Is it serious?"

"He's a firefighter for the city. He has to work today. We've been seeing each other a little over a month now." She said nonchalantly. Danielle knew her relationship with Kelly, albeit short, was anything but casual.

"Why didn't he fly home with you? Her mom pressed.

"He offered to switch shifts so that he didn't have to work today," Danielle said, "but I thought maybe it was too soon for family introductions."

Danielle's mom turned to her Aunt, "I don't think it's too soon, do you?"

"Nope." Danielle's mom said matter of factly.

"Leave her alone," her dad said from behind the newspaper.

Danielle excused herself from the family discussion about her love life and went into the living room to find her brother, Mike.

"No work for you today?" She asked him.

"Nope, I got lucky this year," he started. "Something tells me I am screwed for Christmas though.

"Are you still thinking about flying out in a couple weeks?"

"Yeah, mom wants me to check on you." He looked her, "You seem fine to me."

Danielle laughed, "I am fine. Thanks for your concern, though."

"She keeps asking me about the firefighter too," he continued. "I told her, "Ma, I only know what Danielle tells me, and I am sure it's the same thing that she tells you.""

Danielle took a sip of her wine.

"What's wrong?" He asked sensing her discomfort.

"Nothing actually. Everything is perfect. Too perfect." She paused. "I'm just waiting for the ball to drop."

Mike looked over at her, "Maybe it won't this time."

"Well, if I have learned anything from history," she started, "it's bound to repeat itself."

Mike nodded his head."Do you like him?"

"I think it may be more than 'like'."

"Sounds serious. Now I have to meet him."

Danielle laughed, "Always watching out." She joked.

"You would do the same for me, sis."

"Of course I would."

Their conversation was cut short when they were called to dinner. Danielle checked her phone and was happy to see a text from Kelly.

"I wish I was with you xoxo"

She responded, "I wish you were too xoxo" She really missed him.

* * *

Danielle was so excited to see Kelly waiting outside of Midway airport on Friday night.

He engulfed her in a big hug and kissed her firmly on the lips.

"Mmmhmmm. I missed you too." She said breathing him in.

"I wish you would've let me come with you." Kelly said grabbing her bag to put in the trunk.

"Now was not right the time," Danielle said walking around to get into the passenger side of his car. "I love my family but meeting them all at once is a little overwhelming."

"I accept the challenge." Kelly smiled as he took her hand in his for the drive back home.

Kelly carried her suitcase up the two flights of stairs for her and waited for her to pull out her keys to let them in.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him.

"I could eat," he said taking of his leather jacket.

"Oh my god!" Danielle exclaimed, "What happened to your arm?" She rushed to his side to examine the bandages.

"It's nothing," he said pulling it away from her. "Barely a sunburn."

"Looks a little worse than that." Danielle furrowed her brow in worry. "Did you go to Med to get it checked out?"

"I had Brett check it out. She said it was all good."

Danielle had talked to Sylvie yesterday, she didn't mention the burn either. Maybe it wasn't that bad and she was over reacting. She knew that Kelly and everyone at the house risked their lives everyday, but this was the first time she had ever seen him hurt. She thought he was invincible. This made her worry.

"Babe," Kelly said shrugging, "it's nothing. No need to worry."

"OK," Danielle gave him a kiss. "Come on, I'll make you something special."

"Something special, huh?" Kelly said with a raised eyebrow.

"Dinner first, please." Danielle said swatting his hand away from her rear laughing.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N - Had to update two today because chapter 7 was a short one._

* * *

There was some snow on the ground that cold mid-December morning. Danielle was frantically running around her apartment trying to get ready for her brother's arrival. She saw her phone buzzing on the counter with a picture of Kelly smiling as she is kissing him on the cheek. She paused to answer. "Hey you."

"Hey there. Just wanted to double check when Mike's flight comes in?" Kelly asked into the phone.

Danielle's brother was flying out from New Jersey to come for a long weekend she was so excited for him to finally come and meet Kelly and see her city. "I'm leaving to go to Midway now." Danielle rushed into the phone. She had even taken the day off from school for the occasion.

"Do you want to bring him by 51 later on?" Kelly asked.

"I know he is definitely going to want to meet you and everyone so maybe after we grab some food."

"Ok babe, keep me updated."

"Of course, I'll call you later."

* * *

Mike emerged from the baggage claim door of Midway airport. He spotted Danielle standing outside her car waving frantically to get his attention.

He got into the car, "Oh shit, you weren't kidding when you said it was cold!" He exclaimed.

"It's the wind chill, that's what gets you." Danielle said giving her brother a hug. "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Me too. I can't wait to see everything, eat pizza, and eat hot dogs." He checked his phone and held it up for Danielle to see.

She glanced over and read, "Did Kelly come to get you?" It was a text from their mom. Danielle laughed, "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Mike looked around, "So, where is the firefighter?"

"Working." Danielle smiled. "He wanted to know if you wanted to come by the house later."

"Maybe," Mike shrugged. "First, let's go check out your place."

Danielle pulled out of the airport parking lot, and headed towards Bucktown.

After dropping off his bags and a quick tour of the neighborhood, Danielle called Kelly to see if there was some time to pop in.

"Hmmm, no answer." She said to Mike, "they are probably out on a call."

"That's fine. Let's grab some lunch, I am starving."

Danielle did not hear from Kelly until much later on that day. She was sitting in a bar downtown enjoying the Happy Hour specials with her brother.

"Hey baby!" She excitedly said into her phone. "How's work going?"

"So far so good." He said, "Sorry I missed you, we've been out on calls all afternoon. What are you and Mike up too?"

"Just enjoying the Chicago happy hour scene!"

"Oh yeah?" Kelly laughed, "Drinking already?"

"It's five o'clock somewhere!"

Kelly laughed into the phone. "So I guess you guys aren't stopping by the house."

"I highly doubt that Boden would appreciate me showing up in a cab 3 margarita's deep."

"He would not like that all." Kelly continued, "I feel like the guys would think it's hysterical though."

"Another round please!" Kelly heard a male voice say.

"Sounds like you two are having fun."

"This guy makes friends wherever he goes." Danielle giggled into the phone.

"Should we do breakfast tomorrow?"

"That sounds like a fantastic idea." Danielle said into the phone. "Call me later, ok?"

"Of course."

Kelly clicked the phone off and turned to the squad guys at the table.

"You want to take a ride to check out the bar Danielle's at?" Cruz asked.

"No," Kelly shook his head. "I want her and brother to catch up and have fun. I don't want to intrude."

"You two have been pretty hot and heavy lately." Capp added, "Is she turning you into a one woman man, Severide?"

Kelly looked at him and in all seriousness said, "I think I could really love that girl."

Capp offered, "When you know. You know."

* * *

Danielle woke up the next morning to hear someone making a lot of noise in the kitchen.

She got out of bed. "Uhhh, margarita's." Silently cursing herself.

She walked into the kitchen, "What time is it? Where is my phone?"

"8:30." Mike replied. "I put your phone on the charger in here."

"Thanks." Danielle checked her messages. "Oh crap." She groaned. "I was texting Kelly last night."

Mike laughed at her.

"How are you not that hungover right now?" She asked looking for some advil.

"Because I am bigger and better than you."

She smacked his arm.

"Kelly should be getting home from shift soon. I am going to take a shower."

Mike opened up her fridge looking for some water. "OK"

Danielle got out of the shower feeling refreshed. Maybe she still could keep up with her little brother. She slipped on her robe and threw her hair up into a towel. She opened the bathroom door to hear both Kelly and her brother's voices in the kitchen.

"So, you two have met." She walked up to Kelly giving him a kiss hello.

"I let him up." Mike said taking swig from his bottle of water. "We were just chatting."

"There she is." He grinned at her, "How are _you_ feeling?"

"Better after that shower."

"Mike was just telling me about how he had to push you into a cab 10 o'clock last night."

"Hey! To my defense, we started early."

Mike laughed, "You can take the girl out of the party, but you can't take the party out of the girl."

Kelly raised his eyebrows at Danielle. "Really."

"I could tell you stories, man." Mike joked.

"I'll get dressed," she said, "you hop in the shower so we can eat."

"You're the boss." He said heading towards the bathroom.

Kelly followed Danielle into her bedroom and made himself comfortable on her bed as she got changed. He watched her every move intently. "Lot's of texts from you last night." He teased.

"I remember everything." Danielle lied.

"Oh yeah?" Kelly asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure I meant every word of what I said." Danielle teased back.

"I hope you did." Kelly said. "I love getting sexy texts from you."

Danielle gave him a sultry smile but made a mental note to check her phone again later.

* * *

The trio laughed all throughout breakfast. Mike and Kelly exchanged stories about being on the job and got along great. Danielle loved how Kelly was making the effort to get to know her brother and befriend him. She grabbed his hand and gave him a gentle squeeze. He looked over at her and gave her a wink.

After breakfast, Kelly drove Danielle to pick up her car from the garage she left it in yesterday.

"You coming Mike?" She asked as she made the move to get out of Kelly's car.

"I think I'm going to ride back with Severide."

Danielle gave him a sideways glance, and then looked at Kelly. Kelly nodded at her signaling that he was cool.

"OK then. I'll meet you back home."

Kelly waited for Danielle to pull out of the lot and followed her back home with Mike in his passenger seat.

Danielle pulled up to her building and watched Kelly at Mike talking in her rearview mirror as he pulled into the spot behind got out and waited on the sidewalk for the two of them to emerge.

"Call your girlfriends, Dan." Mike said getting out of the mustang, "We are going to Molly's tonight!"

Danielle laughed. "Molly's it is." She handed Mike her keys, "I'll meet you upstairs"

Mike shook Kelly's hand, "good to meet you, brother. I'll see you tonight."

"What was that about?" Danielle asked once her brother was out of earshot.

"He's a great guy, babe." He put his arm around her shoulder, "very protective of you."

"I know that. I am of him too."

"We had a good talk."

"I think he likes you." Danielle kissed him. "That's important to me because I really like you."

"I really like you too." Kelly kissed her back.

"Why don't you go relax and take a nap. I'm going to show him around town today, and then we can meet for dinner and head to Molly's."

"Great plan." He gave her one last kiss. "Good night."

"Good night."

Danielle headed back upstairs. "Trying to scare my boyfriend?" Danielle teased her brother.

"Scare? Is that what he said?" Mike laughed.

"I'm kidding. He said you guys had a good talk though."

"He's a nice guy, sis." Mike nodded. "I like him."

"That means alot coming from you." Danielle smiled. "You never like anyone I date."

"It's because I am an excellent judge of character."

Danielle laughed, "ok ok. So, what do you want to see today?"

Danielle spent the day with her brother seeing all the sights. They took selfies at the Bean, went to the top of the Willis Tower, and spent the afternoon at Navy Pier. Finally it was dinner time, so Danielle picked up a ton of ribs from Carson's and headed back to Kelly's place.

Kelly took the bags from her as she walked in with Mike on her heels with a case of beer.

"Are we feeding an army?" Kelly asked.

Mike rolled his eyes, "ask the boss."

"Us three, Casey, Sylvie, Jimmy, and Dawson." She kissed him hello. "Dawson and I planned it."

Kelly looked over at Casey.

"Don't look at me," Casey put his hands up. "I just got the call from her 10 minutes ago." He laughed. He walked over to Danielle to give her a kiss on the cheek hello.

"Matt Casey," Danielle said pointing to her brother, "This is my little brother, "Mike Powers."

Mike shook his hand, "Nice to meet you, Casey."

"Likewise." Casey took three beers out of the box and handed them out to everyone.

"Gabby said her and Brett will be here in a few minutes, Danielle."

"Awesome." Danielle said as she started laying out the food on the kitchen table.

Sylvie and Dawson showed up a few minutes later, and after introductions they dug into the food."

"So Danielle, being Danielle, is walking around the bar," Mike said laughing mid story, "introducing herself as Danielle Parker - the owner's daughter. She had everyone buying her drinks all night."

Everyone was laughing, "that's hilarious and brilliant!" Said Sylvie.

"This girl tore up the Jersey Shore like no one else I've ever seen. There are still bartenders down there telling stories about her."

Kelly squeezed Danielle's leg, "former party girl, huh?"

Danielle took a sip from her beer, "What can I say?"

"She taught me everything I know." Mike said clinking his beer with hers.

"Those days are over." Danielle said laughing. "I'm a grown up now."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Mike laughed.

Danielle, Gabby and Sylvie cleared the plates while the boys sat at the table drinking their beers and laughing.

"Your brother is hilarious!" Dawson said.

"He's a great guy. I'm so happy you guys got to meet him."

"We are still up for Molly's, right?" Sylvie asked.

"With the way these guys are drinking, we are going to run out of beer soon." Gabby added.

"Yeah, they are not slowing down." Danielle laughed. "I should go home and change though, I cannot go out with this BBQ stain on my shirt."

"Oh you can barely see it," Gabby added.

"Come on," Danielle said, "Come help me pick out a new one and then we can head over."

"OK, ok."

"Hey guys," Gabby called out. "We are just going to head across the street so Danielle can change her shirt."

"We'll be here," Kelly said.

Danielle looked over at Mike, "I'll be right back." He nodded.

The girls were going through Danielle's closet. "So you and Sev are getting pretty serious, huh?" Gabby asked.

Danielle blushed. "I think I love him." She confided in the girls. "It's only been like 3 months, am I nuts?"

Sylvie plopped down on the bed, "woah, that's pretty serious."

"I know," Danielle said. "I'm in too deep."

"What does that mean?" Gabby asked.

"It just means that when things are going this well, something is bound to go wrong." Danielle sighed. "I'm scared to death."

"For as long as I've known Severide, which is a long time," Gabby said. "I've never seen him act this way. The way he acts with you."

"I have never felt this way about anyone either." Danielle started. "It's just that I've said "I love you" to someone before," she paused, "and I was devastated when it didn't work out."

Sylvie rubbed Danielle's back. "What happened?"

"He didn't love me back." She said sadly. "It's ok, everything happens for a reason, right?"

"It led you here, right?" Gabby said.

"Yup." She smiled. "It led me to you two, to Kelly, to everyone I've met here." She continued, "I just don't know that I can come back from another heartbreak like that."

"Hopefully," Sylvie smiled, "you won't have to."

"I trust Severide with my life. He's a good man." Gabby added.

"From your mouth, to God's ears." Danielle prayed. "Please don't say anything to him."

Gabby nodded and handed her a black hi-lo flowy blouse. "Here, put this on. Let's get drunk!"

The boys were outside smoking cigars when the girls got downstairs.

"Looks like they polished off the case of beer." Danielle said.

"It's going to be a long night," Sylvie added.

Everyone piled into a cab and headed for Molly's.

The squad from the 21st police district was there that night too. Kelly made sure to introduce Mike to Halstead, Antonio, Ruzek, Lindsay, Burgess and Roman. They were celebrating a big bust they had earlier that day. Mike was just telling Jay how he just passed his detective's exam. Then the shots started flowing.

Danielle pulled Kelly aside, "This seems like it's escalating quickly."

Kelly planted a kiss on Danielle's mouth, "come on party girl, let loose. I'll keep on eye on your brother."

She pulled him into a big hug and didn't want to let go. "He's having fun, isn't he?"

"He's one of the guys now!"

Ruzak came by with another tray of shots that Hermann sent over, "Danielle? Sev?" The pair took one each and tipped them back into her their mouths.

* * *

Danielle woke up the next morning to Kelly laying next her fully clothed. The guys took off after a few hours at Molly's to head to another bar. Kelly promised that he would keep on eye on Mike and she gave him the key to her apartment to make sure that he got home. The girls stayed a little while longer chatting while the guys of house 51, the 21st district, and Mike tore up the town.

She didn't even hear them come in last night, or that morning more likely. Danielle got up, and after double checking that her brother was passed out in the guest room, she got started on making a pot of coffee.

"Come back to bed," she heard Kelly moan from her room.

Danielle laughed, grabbed him a bottle of water and two advil.

"You guys tied one off last night, huh?" She laughed handing him the advil and water.

"Everything hurts," he complained. He leaned up to kiss her with his eyes half closed.

"Yeah right," she pulled back. "You taste terrible."

"Don't hate me, please."

"You and my brother are back in one piece," she rubbed his back. "I don't hate you."

"Where did you guys end up?" Danielle asked, "Your last text at 3:30am was gibberish."

"Some after hours place in Hyde Park that Ruzak knew of. I think that is what I was trying to tell you in my text."

Danielle continued to rub his back until she heard a crash from the bathroom. She jumped up, "you ok, Mike?" She called out.

"Yeah, just drunk. Stilllllll drunk." He chuckled.

Kelly laughed.

"What am I going to do with you two." Danielle smiled.

An hour and 2 cups of coffee later, Kelly got up to leave, "I have to take a shower."

"Yeah you do." Danielle teased him.

"What time do you have to take him to the airport later?" Kelly asked.

"Not until 5:30." Danielle replied.

"Want company?" Kelly asked.

"Yours? Of course." She smiled.

Kelly reached into his pocket to hand Danielle her apartment key back.

She clasped his hand closed over the key, "Why don't you hold on to that." She looked deep into his smoldering eyes. "I have another one." This was bold move for Danielle, she couldn't believe she had just done that.

Kelly smiled brightly at her and then leaned down to kiss her. "I don't care if you think I stink, I want to kiss you."

She let him.

"Bye Mike," Kelly called out, "See you later."

"Still drunk." Mike mumbled from the guest bedroom.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: As always, thank you for the reviews and follows! Enjoy!_

* * *

One cold Saturday in December, Danielle, Sylvie, and Gabby were up early heading to get their nails done for the Fireman's Ball that evening.

"Sev is flying out to Jersey with you for Christmas in a few days, huh?" Sylvie asked from the pedicure chair next to Danielle.

"Yeah," Danielle responded. "I hope he's ready to meet the full force of the Powers family."

"I think he's pumped to hang with your brother again." Gabby laughed.

"I think my brother is still hungover from the last time they hung out." Danielle returned with a giggle. "My mom is the most excited for this meeting."

"Have you told him how you really feel yet?" Sylvie interjected.

Danielle sighed, "I keep wanting too. Every time I see him I just want to kiss him and tell him I love him. I just can't be the one to say it first, you know? I need to know that he feels the same way before I open up like that."

"You need to hear from him too." Gabby nodded, "I understand."

"You guys know me by now, that is not a phrase I throw around lightly. Danielle added, "Especially after the first time I said it."

"Did you ever tell Severide about your ex?" Sylvie asked.

"Briefly," Danielle said, as she moved from pedicure chair to the manicure chair. "My brother must've mentioned something to him in their drunken stupor. It kind of forced us to have the ex-boyfriend/girlfriend talk. I think he was as uncomfortable as I was."

"Yikes," Gabby said, "Nobody wants to have that talk."

"Tell me about it." Sylvie added, "I am all about leaving the past in the past."

"Cheers to that sister," Danielle said. "I am all about leaving it the hell alone." Danielle changed the subject, "So tell me about this ball. What should I expect for tonight?"

* * *

Later on that evening, Danielle was just about finished getting ready. She was expecting Kelly to come over any moment before their car came. She was just putting the finishing touches on her make-up and all she had left was to slip on her dress. She was standing in her bathroom in her her black lace strapless bra, matching lace panties and hot pink fuzzy socks.

She heard the door unlock and open. "Hey baby," Kelly called from the entryway shutting the door behind him. "'Almost ready?"

"Hey you! Just finishing up in here. You want to pour a couple of drinks?"

"You got it." Kelly shut the door behind him and headed to the kitchen. He poured two whiskeys over ice and walked them into Danielle's bathroom. "Car should be-" He stopped mid-sentence. His jaw dropped when her saw her. He rubbed the stubble on his chin and thought she looked so sexy standing there in her barely there underwear and her hair up with a few tendrils lightly touching her shoulders. "Oh. We are not going anywhere tonight with you looking like that." He said handing her a drink and coming up behind her in the bathroom.

She tilted her head to give him access to her neck for a quick kiss. She bit her lip at him in the mirror.

"Girl, you are driving me crazy." Kelly moaned into her neck his hands on her hips playing with the lace of her panties.

Danielle's cheeks flushed. "Come on, help zip my dress up so that way we can have a drink before the car comes."

"Dress on? Nope, you are going like this so everyone can see how hot my girlfriend is."

Danielle slapped him on the shoulder, "you really want me to parade around all of your firefighter friends AND your dad like this?"

"On second thought, I am going to enjoy taking it off later now that I know what's waiting for me underneath it. Especially those socks"

Danielle stood on her tip toes to kiss him, "that's right baby, all for you."

Kelly watched her blue eyes become dark. He kissed her, hard.

She pulled away and wiped the lipstick from his mouth. "Alright, wait outside or else we are never making it out of this bathroom."

Kelly grabbed their drinks and waited for her in the kitchen.

Danielle walked into the kitchen up holding her dress up at the bust, "Just a quick zip please?" She turned so that her back was towards him. He slowly pulled the zipper up feeling the silky material of her strapless navy blue gown.

"There is a hook there too, babe."

"Got it." He said planting a kiss on the back of her shoulder.

She adjusted the front of the sweetheart neckline and turned to face him, "Well. How do I look?" Giving him a bright smile and twirl in her gown lifting up the hem to show off her socks too.

"Danielle," Kelly stared. "You are amazing."

Danielle leaned up to kiss him, "So are you." She took a sip of her drink.

"Wait. I'm not done." Kelly looked down into his glass.

"Oh yeah?" Danielle asked biting her lip putting her glass down on the kitchen island.

Kelly kissed her again, leaned his forehead against hers looking into her eyes, "I've been meaning to say this for a while now." He whispered against her lips. "I love you."

Danielle pulled back looking up at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his cobalt blue eyes. "I love you too, Kelly."

He put his hands on her face and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. He could not get enough of her, and he was glad he finally got express to her how he really felt. He had truly fallen hard.

They finished their drinks in between kisses and then headed out of the door to the Firefighter's Ball.

* * *

Kelly introduced Danielle to everyone they came across. Her smile lit up the room.

"Ready to meet Benny Severide?" He asked with a raised eyebrow as they approached the bar where he was standing.

"Of course." She responded lacing her fingers with his.

"Pop," Kelly said as the couple approached his father. "I would like you to finally meet Danielle Powers. Danielle, this is my father, Benny Severide."

Benny took Danielle's extended hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss, she blushed. "Danielle. It is so nice to finally meet the young woman that Kelly can't stop talking about."

"So nice to finally meet you as well, Mr. Severide." He was a flirt just like Kelly, Danielle thought.

"Please," He paused looking into eyes, "call me Benny. Come, let me get you a drink." Benny offered his arm and she gladly accepted as they walked to the bar.

"What do you drink, Danielle?"

"Manhattan. Rocks, please." She told the bartender.

"A girl who drinks whiskey too. I can see why Kelly likes you so much."

He looked at Kelly and gave him a nod of approval, "you look very beautiful this evening, Danielle." He said after handing her a drink.

"Thank you." She sipped her cocktail, "Kelly tells me it's a fun night out with everyone and their families."

"He's right." Benny studied her face, "So, you are a teacher, correct?

"Yes." She nodded. "Middle school."

"Attractive and smart."

Danielle smiled at him and blushed, "Kelly speaks very highly of you also."

"You don't have to lie to him, babe." Kelly laughed.

"I'm not!" Danielle said. "Oh, I see Sylvie and Gabby, please excuse me so I can hello."

Benny nodded. "Very nice to meet you, Danielle."

She thanked him for the drink and headed to meet Sylvie and Brett at the cocktail table they were standing at. As soon as she was sure Kelly was out of earshot, she blurted out her good news.

"He said it." She gushed, "he told me he loves me."

Gabby smiled. "You tamed Kelly Severide. I'd never thought I would see the day."

Severide watched Danielle laughing and chatting with the girls while he stood with his father at the bar. He was going on about some department policy Kelly couldn't care less about. He kept his eyes on Danielle as his father was talking. Her eyes were bright, and her laugh was contagious. She was absolutely incredible, sexy and cute at the same time.

"Hello? Kelly?" Benny Severide asked.

"Yeah Pop?"

"What are you thinking about, Lieutenant?" He asked his son.

His eyes never broke from Danielle, "Just about how fortunate I am." He would never tell his father that he was really thinking of getting Danielle back home tonight.

"She is stunning." Benny added following Kelly's line of sight to her.

He turned to his dad, "I love her, Pop." Kelly admitted.

"I can see that." Benny smiled at his son, "did you tell her yet?"

"Yeah." He said nodding. "She loves me too."

Benny raised his glass to his son and toasted, "Hold her close. Love hard."

They clinked glasses and Kelly ordered another round for him and one for Danielle.

Kelly excused himself from his dad and heading over to meet Danielle, Sylvie, and Gabby.

"Ladies," he turned on the charm, "may I steal her from you?"

The girls smiled as Kelly put his arm around her with his hand resting on her hip.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" He asked leading her away from the crowds of the party.

Danielle bit her lip and smiled, "Several times." Her fingers laced into his, "but I won't get tired of hearing it, I promise."

"Benny has a crush on you." He teased.

She laughed out loud, "Don't mess with me."

"I'm not," he flashed her a grin. "Told me to watch my back."

"You're hilarious." She said giving him a playful pat on the arm.

"I love you." He leaned down to kiss her.

"I'll never get tired of hearing that either." Danielle smiled into his kiss. "Come on, let's go find our seats."

After dinner and the Commissioner's speech, the ball was finally starting to wind down. "Ready to get out of here?" Danielle asked.

"I've been ready to get you home since we got here."

"Call the car, I'll start making the good-bye rounds."

Kelly tipped back the rest of his drink and pulled out his cell phone.

Danielle took his arm and let him lead her out.

They made out like teenagers in the back of the car and barely made it up the stairs to Danielle's apartment with their clothes on. She was untucking Kelly's shirt as he tried to get the key in the lock. As he was fumbling with her keys she kicked her shoes off and snaked her hands into his open shirt. "What is taking so long?" She asked in between planted kisses on his toned chest.

"I can't concentrate with your lips on me," Kelly whispered. "Finally!" He yelled letting them fall into the apartment door. He picked Danielle up and kicked the door shut.

"I love you!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Kelly laughed. This was the happiest Danielle had been in a long time.

They left a trail of clothing from the front door to the bedroom and made love all night.


	10. Chapter 10

_AN: We are almost halfway through! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please, let me know what you think. Thank you to all those that review and follow, I appreciate it!_

* * *

"Dawson. Brett. Do you have a sec?" Kelly asked as he passed them in the hallway of the firehouse.

"Yeah, what's up Lieutenant?" Sylvie said.

"I want you to see what I got Dani for Christmas." He said motioning for them to follow him to his locker. "I'm kinda a guy about some things and I was never good at getting presents for girls."

"I can't wait to see it." Dawson said, a little nervously.

Kelly opened his locker and pulled a black velvet jewelry box from the top of the shelf.

"Looks like a good start!" Sylvie said.

He opened the box and Sylvie and Gabby looked at each other and smiled.

"Well," Severide asked. "How did I do?"

"Severide." Gabby said nodding. "You did good." She gave him a pat on the shoulder in approval.

"She is going to love this." Sylvie said running her finger across the delicate white gold bracelet. It was dainty with a small diamond anchored in the chain.

"We fly out to see her family tomorrow." He said putting the present back in his locker.

"Nervous?" Gabby teased.

"Come on, Dawson." Kelly laughed. "You know me better than that."

* * *

The following day Kelly and Danielle were on the short flight to Jersey. Kelly's eyes were closed and his were fingers laced with Danielle's.

"Oh and another thing," Danielle continued her rambling, "If my dad asks - I never use my credit cards, just my debit." She went on, "My Aunt Rose, my mother's sister, is very nosy. She will try to ask you a million questions. My Uncle is very into classic cars like you too. My cousins are all in their 20's and will probably be drunk the whole time." She looked over at Kelly. "Are you listening to me?"

He kept his eyes closed and smiled. "Why are you so nervous for me to meet your family?"

"I'm not nervous. Why? Do I seem nervous?" She asked nervously.

Kelly squeezed her hand, "Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"You seem a little nervous." He looked over at her and smiled, "It's kinda cute."

"I am sorry. Is it making you nervous too?"

"Baby, I don't get nervous." He said confidently.

She snuggled into his shoulder. "My family is great. You are going to love them and they are going to love you."

"I have no doubt about that." He closed his eyes again.

Mike was there to meet them when they left the baggage claim. He gave his sister a big hug and a kiss on the cheek hello. He shook Kelly's hand and grabbed their bags from him. "Good to see you, brother."

"You too," Kelly laughed. "Still drunk?"

Mike shook his head with a smile, "What a crazy night. One thing is for sure - I'll never forget Chicago."

The trio laughed on the ride back to Danielle's parents house.

Danielle gave Kelly a chaste kiss before they walked in the door, "You ready?"

"You know it."

Meeting Danielle's family was a whirlwind experience for Kelly. Her parents were great people and welcomed him in with opened arms. Her childhood home was filled with pictures and memories, Kelly could tell what a loving place it had been to grow up in.

Danielle got up from the kitchen table to grab another beer for Kelly and her father. Her mom poured a glass of wine for her and her daughter. They had been talking about Danielle's job in Chicago.

"So Kelly," her mom said changing the subject, "Tell me about your work."

"Well," he said after a sip. "I'm a firefighter for the city."

Danielle interjected, "He's not just a firefighter. He is _the_ firefighter."

"What does that mean?" She asked turning back towards Kelly.

"I think Danielle means that I am part of the Rescue Squad."

"They are the most elite firefighters in the city." Danielle added.

"We specialize in rescues that truck or engine firefighters aren't trained for." He continued.

Danielle's dad nodded, "Very interesting work, Kelly." He added, "Is it dangerous?"

"We have our scary moments." He said, "but we rely on our training."

"Kelly is a lieutenant, he has his own team, too."

"Amazing." Danielle's mom said.

Danielle checked her watch, "It's getting late." Danielle said, "I know we have to be up early to start cooking tomorrow."

Kelly got up to shake Danielle's dad's hand, a gesture she knew her father would appreciate. He kissed her mother on the cheek. "Thank you for dinner, everything was delicious." He added before following Danielle up to her childhood bedroom.

"Dan," Kelly started as she was changing for bed, "this place, your parents, they - they are great."

"So are you." Danielle smiled at him pausing, "What's wrong?" She said noticing his furrowed brow.

"It's just, I don't understand who could have made you want to run away from all of this."

"Oh, Kelly." She sighed and put her hand on his face. "I didn't run away."

"This is the family I've always dreamed of growing up." Kelly put his hands on her hips. "It's just that what or whoever would want to make you leave all this, must've been bad."

Danielle rubbed her thumb across his lips. "Have you ever gotten the feeling that when things are going well," she paused, "that the floor is just going to open up and swallow you whole."

Kelly thought for a moment, "Like if something can go wrong, than it will."

"Exactly. It's called Murphy's Law."

"Are you scared of being happy?" Kelly asked, still not completely understanding what Danielle was saying.

"No." She paused to think a second. "I am scared of not staying happy. I am scared that something terrible will happen when things are going so well."

"This is all because of that guy?" Kelly cupped his hands on her face and kissed her reassuringly, "Because I am _not_ him." He continued, "I've definitely had my asshole moments, but something about you is different."

She appreciated his words. "He was a big part of it, but there were some other factors too." Her mind wandered for second as she glanced out the window.

"Are you happy now?" He asked snapping her back to him.

"Kelly," Danielle met his gaze, "Being with you is the happiest I think I've ever been."

"So you're not scared at all, you won't run away from me?"

Danielle replied, "When I'm with you, I'm invincible. There is nothing I'm scared of."

She dropped her eyes, "Are you scared?" She asked him.

Kelly smiled, "You changed my life." He kissed her. "I am not going anywhere. Ever. I'm sorry you went through all of that," He hugged her tight, "but I'm not sorry it led you to Chicago. That it led you to me."

* * *

Christmas Eve was somewhat of spectacle in Danielle's house. There was a ton of food, drinks, and family everywhere. Danielle's cousins had monopolized all of Kelly's attention. Usually Mike was the center of attention with his stories about being a cop, but everyone loved the firefighter hero.

"Are you jealous?" Danielle teased her brother.

"No way." Mike laughed. "Finally I can enjoy a meal without someone asking me when the last time I shot someone was."

"Shut up. No one asks you that."

"Well, maybe not." Mike said, "But you know what I mean."

Everyone went to bed with full bellies and smiles on their faces after Midnight Mass that night.

"So, you guys do presents in the morning?" Kelly asked from his spot in her bed.

"Yup," Danielle said as she was changing for bed.

"When I was a kid, my mom always let me open one on Christmas Eve."

"I'm sure you loved that."

"I would love to give you one now, too."

Danielle smiled, "I would love to exchange now." She walked over to where his was sitting on the bed.

Kelly reached into his bag and handed her the small velvet box.

She smiled at him and opened it. Kelly watched her eyes light up when she saw the delicate bracelet. "Oh baby. I love it." She took it from the box and handed it to him. "Help me put it on?"

"I'm glad you like it." He said clasping it for her. "I'm kind of a idiot when it comes to stuff like this. Capp and Tony weren't much help."

"Kelly," She kissed him, "you could've gotten me a lump of coal and it would've made me happy that it came from you."

He pulled her wrist up to his mouth and kissed the bracelet.

"I'm not going to lie though," she said examining it, "I am happy you went with this choice!"

"I'm glad you like it."

"I have something for you too." She said pulling a box from her suitcase.

Kelly opened the box from Danielle and smiled in awe. "I love it, thank you." He said running his finger along the engraving on the top of custom cigar box. The dark wood was etched with the CFD logo and said 'Lieutenant Kelly Severide' across the top. "They guys are going to be so jealous." He kissed her.

"Here," Danielle handed him one more thing. "Something small for your office. I have the same one my desk at school too."

He tore open the tissue paper and looked down at the framed picture of the two of them from Molly's. It was a candid shot of Danielle laughing. Kelly had his arm around her shoulders and his lips were pressed to the top of her head. It was one of those moments that Sylvie or Dawson must have captured on their phones. Kelly loved how happy they both looked in the picture.

"You look so beautiful," He said looking at her, "I can't wait to put it on my desk at work."

He leaned over to kiss her again.

* * *

They woke up Christmas morning to the smell of coffee brewing.

"I should help with breakfast." Danielle whispered to a sleepy Kelly next to her.

"I don't want to get up." Kelly said with eyes still closed.

"You can have 20 more minutes." Danielle said making the move to get up to help her mom. "I'll meet you downstairs." She said giving him a kiss on his shoulder.

"Hmmhmm." He said nuzzling into the pillow.

"Hey mom, Merry Christmas." Danielle said to her mom as she walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Merry Christmas." Her mom gave her a quick hug. "Are you letting Kelly sleep a little longer." She asked pouring her a cup coffee. "I can still hear your brother and your father snoring from here."

Danielle laughed. "Good to know some things never change around here."

"I really like him, Danielle. He seems like a good, strong man."

"Thanks, mom. He is." She added, "We are in love."

"I can tell by the way he is always watching you.

She played with the bracelet around her wrist, "I've never met anyone like him before." She confided in her mom.

"You two certainly have something special." Her mother replied. "You are smiling more, it is a good look for you."

Danielle laughed.

"Seriously," Danielle's mom added, "It makes me so happy to see you happy again."

Danielle sipped her coffee. "What happens if 'it' happens again, mom?"

"What, honey?"

"If my heart gets broken." She looked down into her cup.

"Well, I'm not letting you run off to another city, that's for sure." Her mom said half jokingly, "I'm just kidding."

"I'm serious mom."

"I know." She added. "Something about your relationship with Kelly feels different. Your father and I were actually talking about it last night. He is mature and really cares for you."

"I care about him too."

"Let me give you some advice. Do not spend your life worrying about what _could_ happen. Learn to enjoy life as it _is_ happening."

Danielle's mom had a point. She had a tendency to expect the worst, but that is what happened to her - failed relationship after failed relationship. If she was going to make things work with Kelly, she had to let go of the baggage and pain from her past.

"You are right, mom."

Her mom walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "sweetheart, I am always right."

Danielle started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Kelly asked walking into the kitchen.

Danielle just looked at her mom. "Oh, nothing." She changed the subject, "coffee?"

"Yes, please." He smiled at her.

* * *

After a short few days with Danielle's family the couple flew back home to Chicago with the Powers family stamp of approval.

New Year's Eve was a shift day for Kelly. He was not happy about having to leave Danielle in his bed, but he had to get ready for work.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Danielle asked pulling his bed sheet up around her naked body as she sat up.

"You looked so peaceful." Kelly said smiling at her while pulling his jeans up and looking for a belt.

"So. What's New Year's Eve like at the firehouse?" She asked as she watched him get dressed.

"It's like Halloween. There is always some crazy call." He said. "You just hope that no one plays with fireworks or tries to get behind the wheel after drinking all night."

"It's still ok if I come hang out there tonight, right?" She bit her lip.

"Of course, babe." He laughed, "You better come by 'cause I'm not kissing Capp at midnight."

Danielle laughed out loud at that one.

He pulled his shirt over his head. "What are you going to do all day?" He asked her.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Maybe go shopping."

"For what?"

"Maybe a little something for you." She teased.

He kneeled on the bed to kiss her, "I got all I need right here."

She took advantage of his kisses and pulled him back into bed laughing.

"You're gonna make me late." He said putting his head on the pillow next to hers.

They heard a knock on the bedroom door, "Sev? My truck is still in the shop, can I catch a ride with you?"

"Yeah, Casey. Be right out." He called out. Kelly then made the move to get out of bed. . "There is coffee in the pot. Just lock up when you leave?"

"Of course." She said kissing him goodbye, "Stay safe. I'll see you soon."

"Always. Love you."

"Love you, too."

Danielle layed back down in Kelly's bed and pulled his pillow close to her she closed her eyes for another hour.

"So, how was Christmas in New Jersey?" Casey asked Severide on the way over to the firehouse.

"Good, man." He nodded. "Danielle's folks are great."

"You know," Casey continued. "As long as I've known you, I don't think I have seen you smile this much."

"Thanks." He smiled. "It hasn't been long, but something about this relationship feels like the real deal."

"I can see that." Casey added. "Danielle's a great girl too."

"The best." Severide added with a grin.

Severide got to work and changed into his navy long sleeve polo and pants. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table in the common room with the newspaper and breakfast. He took his phone out to shoot a quick text to Danielle. "I can't stand being here knowing you are still in my bed."

"Still haven't gotten up yet. Can I lay here all day?" Danielle responded.

"Lay there as long as you want."

"Wish you were here."

"Me too babe."

"Check out the lieutenant smiling at his phone." Otis pointed out.

"Someone is happy this morning." Gabby added.

"What guys?" Severide asked getting defensive. "Dani is coming by the house later. I hope you don't bust her balls like you bust mine."

"We won't." Herrmann added, "we actually like her."

"Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61 - Car accident, 3rd and Michigan."

"And it begins, Happy New Year." Herrmann said as everyone jumped to their respective trucks.

Danielle finally got herself up and and dressed in Kelly's long sleeve CFD t-shirt and a pair of leggings. She made Kelly's bed went to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. She looked out of the window at the tree lined street and was thankful for Kelly and his firehouse family.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N - A little bit of drama coming your way. The next chapter is going to be a doozy also, but probably won't be up until after the holiday weekend since I will be traveling. Thank you all for your support! I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!_

* * *

The holidays had come and gone and Danielle was the happiest she had ever been in her life. The winter snow was finally melting and the dark clouds were finally breaking into spring sunshine. Things at her school were great, she loved her new city and things with Kelly were amazing. She had just finished dinner one cool night with Sylvie while Kelly was helping Casey at a construction site.

"At Molly's with Sylvie," Danielle had said into her phone when she picked up a call from Kelly, "come meet us."

"Yeah," he said, "I'll be there in a little bit."

"See you soon."

"You got it, babe."

"Severide is coming by?" Sylvie asked.

"Yeah, he should be here soon."

"Uhh, look who just walked in." Sylvie nodded in the direction of the door.

Danielle followed her line of sight. "Who is that?"

"Jen Rodgers." Sylvie whispered. "She's a firefighter on truck 24."

"You don't like her?" Danielle inquired.

"She's a gossip and a know-it-all." Sylvie continued, "She's pretty aggressive too."

"Tell me how you really feel." Danielle laughed.

"I'm surprised she had the nerve to show up." Sylvie said. "She totally embarrassed herself at this training class we did a few weeks ago. Severide didn't tell you?"

"He's never mentioned her to me before." Danielle took another look at Jen. She was tall with long blonde hair. She was very pretty, Danielle thought to herself.

"Maybe I shouldn't say anything then."

"Just tell me." Danielle prodded.

"She asked him out."

Danielle took a long sip of her drink, "oh really?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," She continued. "In front of everyone. Don't worry though, he let her down easy."

"Interesting that Kelly failed to mention that me." Danielle said.

"I'm sure because it was not a big deal." Sylvie said, "You know he only has eyes for you."

"I know, I know." Danielle said finishing off her drink. "Another round on me?"

"Sure!"

Kelly walked into the bar not much later. He had on a pair of jeans and the blue button down shirt Danielle had gotten him under his leather jacket. He spotted her sitting with Sylvie and walked over to meet them.

He kissed her hello, "Hey you."

"Hey there." She examined his face and frowned, "What happened?"

"This?" He said pointing to a small cut on his eyebrow, "It's nothing. Just a got hit by a victim on the ladder last night."

"You ok?" She asked with concern. She would never tell him that she thought he looked sexy fresh from a fight.

"Of course," he grinned, "trust me, I've done worse damage in bar fights. Anyway, I'm going to get a beer. You girls need anything?"

"I'm good for now, thank you though." Sylvie said.

"Me too, babe."

Danielle watched Kelly grab a seat next to Tony at the bar and order a drink. Otis popped the top on the beer and handed it over to Kelly as Jen Rodgers was sauntering over to him. Danielle nodded at Sylvie to take a look.

"I can't believe her." Sylvie stated shaking her head.

The girls couldn't hear what she was saying because she was whispering in Kelly's ear. Danielle watched Kelly pull back and raise an eyebrow and then shake his head no. She continued talking softly to him as his was sipping his beer. After a few minutes he got up to excuse himself, she leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. Danielle also saw her slip a folded napkin into his hand. Kelly didn't even look at it, but stuffed it in his pocket anyway.

"What the hell was that?" Danielle turned to Sylvie. Her cheeks were red.

"I'm sure it was nothing," Sylvie reassured her. "He was probably trying to be polite." She shrugged.

"He's flirting with her." Danielle tipped back the rest of her drink.

Kelly made his way back over to the table where the girls were sitting.

"I've got to make a call." Sylvie sensed Danielle's tension and excused herself.

Danielle nodded at her and turned to Kelly who took a seat like nothing had happened.

"So," Danielle chose her words wisely, "Who was that?" She asked sweetly.

"Who?" Kelly asked nonchalantly.

"The blonde at the bar." Danielle said motioning with her eyes in Jen's direction.

"Her?" Kelly asked.

Danielle was not in the mood for Kelly to be playing dumb. "Yeah, the pretty girl whose number you have in your pocket."

Kelly grinned at her and raised an eyebrow, "Are you jealous?"

Danielle furrowed her brow and squinted at him, "I think I'm going to get out of here."

"Wait until I finish my beer and I'll take you home."

"No, you can stay."

"Come on, Danielle." Kelly reached for her hand, "it's not a big deal."

She pulled her hand away and reached for her purse. "I'll talk to you later."

Danielle stood up and walked away with out even looking back at Kelly. When she got outside waited for a second to see if he would follow her out. When he didn't she hailed a cab and headed home. 'What just happened?' She asked herself.

Danielle was furious by the time she got into her apartment. She checked her phone and was even more upset when she she saw no new messages from Kelly. She poured herself a drink. An hour and three whiskeys later, she finally heard her apartment door open.

"Babe?" She heard Kelly call out from the door. "Can we talk?"

"In here." She called from the couch.

"You wanna tell me what just happened?" Kelly asked taking off his jacket.

"Why didn't you follow me out?" Danielle asked, loudly.

"I thought you may need a minute to cool down."

"Did you want to tell me that she had asked you out?" Her cheeks reddening.

"You _are_ jealous." He exclaimed.

"No Kelly." Danielle was livid. "I'm not jealous, I just expect a little honesty in our relationship."

"It was no big deal." He poured himself some whiskey too. "I was trying to avoid a fight."

"Well," Danielle retorted, "You got one anyway!" She threw her hands up.

"You want the truth?" Kelly raised his voice slightly. "Or are you going to sit there and make assumptions?"

"Better late than never." She took another big sip.

"She's a firefighter in another house, we saw each other in a training class a few weeks ago, she asked me out, and I said no. Out of respect for her brother, who I know from the academy, I tried to let her down easy."

"I don't give a damn that she asked you out!" Danielle yelled, "I just care that you didn't bother to tell me."

"You are making something out of nothing!" Kelly rubbed his face. "There was nothing to tell!"

"Oh yeah? What about tonight, Kelly? I watched the whole thing happen and you still weren't going to say anything." Danielle stood up and swayed a little.

"Are you drunk?"

"Don't change the subject!" She shot back at him.

Kelly tried to calm her down, "tonight was nothing too." He walked over to her, "She was asking about more training classes and she told me to call her when I knew when the next session was starting."

Danielle looked up him, deciding on whether or not believe him. "That's it? She didn't have to kiss you."

"She's kinda aggressive like that, but I swear, that's it." He cupped her face in his hands. "You are the only crazy I want in my life."

"I'm not crazy-y," she lowered her voice, slurring a little.

Kelly laughed, "You're cute when you are jealous."

Danielle rolled her eyes, "Maybe I was a little jealous."

"There is no reason to be. Look." Kelly reached into his pocket and pulled out the folded up napkin. He tore it into several pieces and threw it out. "Happy?"

"Now I am."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her." He leaned down to press his lips to hers.

"I'm sorry I got drunk and yelled at you." She said giving him a hug.

"Come on." Kelly smiled and took her drink. "Let's get you to sleep."

"Or," Danielle said with a cheshire grin, "you can make it up to me."

He grabbed Danielle and flung her over his shoulder, "slow down, I don't want to throw up!" She flailed her arms all the way to her bedroom.

Kelly and Danielle had just survived their first fight. If Kelly learned anything, it was to always tell Danielle the truth and to not let her have too much whiskey.

* * *

A few weeks later, she let herself into Kelly and Matt's apartment about an hour before they were due to come home. She had woken up early to give Kelly a fun and sexy surprise. She made sure that he was going home to his place after shift and that Dawson was taking Casey out to breakfast. Danielle slipped into a sexy negligee, her highest heels, and laid out on Kelly's bed. He was due to come home any minute.

She heard the front door click open and Kelly come in throwing his bag down by the front door. She nervously smoothed her hair down and listened intently as he opened the refrigerator door. 'What is taking him so long?' She wondered. Next, she heard his phone ring. 'Oh what the hell?' She said to herself.

"Hey Pop." Kelly said into his phone.

"Yeah. Dani and I are still good for today, right?"

Danielle wondered what they were talking about.

"It's a surprise. I haven't mentioned anything to her yet."

Danielle smiled eavesdropping from her place in Kelly's bed.

"Should be up there later this afternoon. Yea, I've got keys."

'Keys?' She thought trying to figure out what was happening from the one side of the conversation she heard.

"Yeah, thanks. Let me know."

"OK, I'll talk to you later." Finally he was off the phone.

Kelly put his phone on the counter and went to make some coffee. He wondered if Danielle was awake yet. She had texted him last night that she wasn't feeling well and she wanted to sleep in. He called her but there was no answer. He figured he could pack his bag for the weekend before he went over there to check on her. He took his jacket off and threw in on the chair.

He walked to his bedroom and opened the door. His jaw dropped when he saw what was waiting for him on his bed.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my girlfriend." He rubbed his jaw looking at her from head to toe in her barely there lingerie and high heels sprawled across his bed.

Danielle smiled slyly, "What? Your girlfriend doesn't dress sexy and surprise you when you get home from work?" She frowned, "What a bitch."

It was Kelly's turn to laugh. He took of his shirt and started to kick off his pants. "What did I do to deserve this?" He walked over the edge of the bed.

Danielle sat up. "Well, it's been about six months since a hot firefighter showed up at my door with some beer and pizza." She looked him up and down. "I thought it was about time I repaid him."

She got up on her knees to show off her outfit. "You like?"

Kelly looked deep into her eyes, "Baby, I love." He leaned down to kiss her.

She pulled him down on the bed and forced him on his back. She straddled his waist and put her hands on his chest. She could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

"Babe, you are so hot." He said looking up at her, his hands squeezing her thighs.

"You have a really great personality," she teased him running her finger-tips over his toned chest and stomach, raking her nails into his skin.

"You are going to get it." He said flipping her back over.

She looked up at him through hooded eyes, "Promise?"

Kelly ran his hand from her face down her chest and to her hip. He pulled her panties down with one hand and then reached up to deftly untie the front of her negligee. He put the palm of his hand down on her chest over her heart. "I'm driving you as crazy as you are driving me."

"You always drive me crazy." Danielle leaned up to kiss him.

"You know," he started. "I had a surprise planned too." He was tracing her lips with his finger tips.

"Yeah?" She breathed out.

"Yours is better."

Danielle giggled. "Are you going to tell me what it is?" She propped herself up on her elbow to match his gaze.

"I can't remember what it is." He said eyeing her body up and down.

"Maybe I should get dressed?" She teased.

"Nope. Don't do that." His eyes were dark with lust.

Danielle didn't think she could hold out any longer either. She kissed down his neck and pulled off his boxers.

Awhile later Kelly was rubbing her back to wake her up. "Come on, we need to leave soon to beat the traffic."

"What are you talking about?" Danielle could barely even remember her own name let alone what he was talking about after their latest romp in bed.

"My surprise." He smiled at her. "You need to go home and pack."

"For what?" She said grazing her fingers up and down his stomach.

"A weekend at the cabin to celebrate." He grabbed her hand, "Make sure you pack this outfit, by the way."

"How romantic." It was her turn to say, "who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend."

Kelly laughed, "What? I'm romantic." He continued, "If by romantic you mean "Kelly wasn't an asshole today'."

"Oh stop that." Danielle said making the move to get out of bed. "You are perfect the way you are."

He slapped her on the butt as she got of bed.

"Oh!" She yelped. "See," She said rubbing the sore spot with a smile, "romantic."

The ride up to the cabin was a pretty uneventful 3 hours. Danielle asked Kelly about work to pass the time.

"What was your favorite rescue?" She asked, playing with the bracelet he got her that she hadn't taken off since Christmas.

"That's a tough one." He thought for a moment.

"What about your best day on the job?"

"Best day?" He asked. "I know." He turned to her, "Nathan."

"Tell me about him."

"I was out for a jog one morning and I saw this construction truck moving weird in an empty lot, it's like the driver was drunk.." He started. "Next thing I know, the thing tipped over and landed on it's side. So, I went over to check it out and there is this kid pinned in it."

"Wow. So the kid was driving it?"

"He was trying too." Kelly said recalling the event from 2 years ago. "His dad had promised to teach him, but then he took off. Ran away from the family."

"Terrible." Danielle chimed in.

"Nathan was bleeding pretty badly, and I didn't have my phone to call for help. I tried to move the truck and ended up getting myself stuck in there too." He said. "We were trapped in there all night."

"Oh crap." Danielle said with wide eyes. "How did you finally get out?"

"The next morning, Nathan was holding on my thread, he had lost a lot of blood. I knew I had to get him out of there, the kid was on borrowed time. So I hot wired the truck to start it and was able to use the bucket as a lever to flip it up again." He rubbed his chin. "Thank god Shay had shown up looking for me."

Danielle heard Kelly talk about Shay often. She had obviously meant a lot to him.

He paused, "I missed my whole shift, she knew something was up."

"I wish I could've met her." Danielle said. She knew that the day Shay died was Kelly's worst day on the job, he had told her. It took him a long time to come back from that loss, and he was still healing.

Kelly took her hand with his free one, "She would've loved you too."

"Was Nathan ok?"

"That kid is a fighter." He said with a grin. "Shay and I got him to Chicago Med just in time. His arm was ok, and he still pops into the firehouse every now and then to say hey."

Watching Kelly beam as he was talking about Nathan was one of the reasons Danielle loved Kelly most. He played the part of this rough and tough guy well, but she knew that deep down inside he was a caring and compassionate man that lived to save lives.

"Tell me about your best day at work." Kelly said squeezing her hand.

Danielle was a little surprised by the question. It's not like she ever thought she was a hero like Kelly was.

"I don't know there was ever like one great moment." She pondered while looking out of the window. "Teaching is all about the little moments, I think."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there was this kid Jack, from a few years ago. He was an 8th grader that just wanted no part of school or reading, he was always struggling and I was always pushing him. Somehow, he took a liking to me, I guess. We kept in touch all throughout his high school career. He worked his butt off to become valedictorian of his class." Danielle was gushing as she was telling Kelly. "When I went to see him graduate, he actually thanked me in his speech for pushing him to always do his best."

"You changed that kid's life."

"He changed mine too." Danielle replied. "In the final line of his speech he told his class to 'always be happy, but never be satisfied', it was something that I had told him at his 8th grade graduation."

"Sounds like a smart kid."

"He is."

"Hey look," Kelly said nodding out of the window, "we are here."

Kelly pulled the car into the long drive of the cabin. It was cozy little spot not too far from the lake. She was excited to be away from the hustle of the city for the weekend.

"What do you want to do for dinner?" She asked after Kelly had given her a quick tour of the place.

"Well," he said, "I gave Benny a shopping list, he should've stocked the fridge."

"You sent your father grocery shopping for us?"

Kelly laughed, "We need to eat!"

"We also need that wine." Danielle said as she picked up a bottle of red that was on the counter.

"But first," Kelly said wrapping his strong arms around her waist picking her up, "I need you."


	12. Chapter 12

_AN: I'm so sorry you had to wait for this one, but I do hope everyone had a great weekend. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think! Thank you for the all reviews and follows, as always. :)_

* * *

"How has your shift been today?" Danielle asked Kelly one late May Monday afternoon.

"So far so good." He said into his phone, "thankfully nothing crazy."

"That's good."

"What are your plans tonight?"

"I'm actually still at school." Danielle sighed looking at the mountain of tests she had to grade in front of her. "Counting down the days until summer." Danielle sighed.

Kelly looked down at his watch. "It's almost 5:00. What don't you bring some work home?"

"I know myself." Danielle said, "I'll pile everything up at home and won't do it there. Might as well just finish everything here."

"You should come by the house when you are done. Come hang for dinner."

"Who's cooking tonight?" Danielle smiled.

"Cruz volunteered."

"Yikes."

It was Kelly's turn to laugh. "C'mon, he's not that bad."

"Is Danielle talking smack about me over there?" She heard Cruz yell from across the table eavesdropping on their conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Cruz!" Danielle yelled into the receiver.

"So you will come by?" Kelly repeated. "I really want to see you."

"You saw me this morning before you left." Danielle teased. "But I know better than to tell you no."

"It's a date then," Kelly smiled. "With me and the whole house."

"You got it." Danielle glanced at the clock hanging on her classroom wall. "I still have another hour or so here."

"That's fine. Just text me when you leave."

"Of course. Love you."

"Love you, babe." Kelly said before he hung up.

It had been a slow shift at 51 that day. They had only been out once since this morning. Kelly had been sitting at the squad table in the bay working on the crossword puzzle from the newspaper when Sylvie came up to him.

"So any plans for Danielle's birthday?" She said making conversation while stealing some chips from Capp.

Kelly looked up, "She said she didn't want to do anything big to celebrate." He smiled, "32 is not a big birthday she told me. I want to find someplace nice to take her though."

"She would really like that." Sylvie nodded in approval.

"You think so?" Kelly asked. "I was thinking about asking her to move in with me."

Sylvie raised an eyebrow, "With you and Casey?"

"Shit Brett, of course not. I want to find a place and make it our own."

"Oh, duh." She laughed. "I am sure she would do that in a heartbeat."

"I hope so." He smiled at her. "You know Brett, I don't think I ever thanked you."

"For what, Lieutenant?"

"For bringing Danielle around and introducing us."

"Something tells me you guys would've found each other eventually." She smiled.

Their conversation was cut short by the alarm blaring - "Engine 51, Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61 - Structure Collapse - PS 134, 5th and Monroe."

Kelly panicked and looked at Brett, "PS 134?"

She jumped out of her seat, "Danielle's school."

"Oh my God." He jumped towards the squad and reached for his turn out gear. He yelled towards everyone filing out towards their respective rigs, "Danielle was still at school, LET'S GO!"

* * *

Danielle stood up from her desk and stretched. She glanced over at the clock that read 6:30. The building was quiet, she was sure that hers would be the only car in the parking lot. She was happy that she got all of her grading done, now she could go and hang out with Kelly worry free. She starting collecting her things and shutting down her computer when a knock at the door startled her.

"Excuse me, Miss Powers. I didn't mean to frighten you." The man standing at the door said.

"Oh hey there Luis. I didn't think you guys would be here this late." Danielle said recognizing the after school custodian.

"I saw the light on and I just came to see who was in here."

"Just me," Danielle smiled. "I'm just packing up to go."

"OK. No worries miss."

"What are you still doing here?"

"They asked me to check the boiler in the basement, it's been acting up."

"I heard Principal Myers talking about it today." Danielle said making conversation as she made her way towards Luis at the door. "Only a few weeks left of school, hope they make it!"

Luis smiled at her, "I'm sure it's nothing."

Danielle said goodnight and started walking towards the side door of the school to head towards the parking lot. She had decided to head over to the firehouse even though Cruz was on dinner duty. As she pulled out her phone to text Kelly, she was thought of places she could stop to pick up dessert.

All of sudden the building groaned and began to shake. Danielle looked around to see the walls buckling, she jumped into a doorway for cover when she heard an explosion. She looked down just as the floor opened up beneath her and everything went black.

* * *

Kelly's squad truck roared down the street, he had his cell phone in his hand trying to call Danielle.

He glanced at Tony with a worried look in eye, "Straight to voicemail."

"We are going to get her." He said to Severide trying to reassure him.

Severide reached up to his radio. "Danielle's in the building everyone. Please keep your eyes open."

He heard Casey respond, "Getting her out is priority one."

The trucks rolled up to the building and chief got out to assess the situation.

One side of the building was still in tact which left everyone hopeful. The other side was collapsed.

"Looks like the explosion was on the lower floor or in the basement." Chief said. "There is a lot of structure damage on the south side. Mask up and be wary of open gas lines and electrical wires. Squad - primary search on this side, truck - help clear a path in."

The men and women of house 51 immediately began clearing the rubble looking for a path in. Other trucks began to show up as well helping to move the debris from the building.

"Severide, take squad into the North side and clear the area with a primary search."

"Copy Chief."

"Cruz and Capp you're with me. Tony clear this side." Kelly prayed that Danielle was safe and sound in the part of the building that was still standing. He and the rest of Squad moved pretty quickly through the halls clearing all the classrooms.

"Primary search, all clear chief." Kelly dropped his head to his chest. Where was she?

Danielle opened her eyes to darkness. "Am I dead?" She asked herself deciding she was in too much pain to be dead.

She took a look around to check out the damage. She had fallen one story down into the basement of the school. There seemed to be a lot of blood coming from her arm and her ribs felt like they had been broken. Her legs were pinned under some debris. She tried to call out to anyone that may be able to hear her; her mouth was opening, but there was no sound coming out. The tears began to stream down her face. She was going to die down there.

After the initial search Kelly and Squad went back out to help with moving the debris.

"Anything yet Chief? Casey?"

"We are almost through. I'm going in with you."

"It's too dangerous, I'll go."

"We both go in, and we're both coming out."

"I have to find her Casey, I can't lose her. Not like this."

"She's strong. She's alive."

"Path cleared Severide!" Herrmann shouted from the side of the building.

"Let's go get your girl." Casey said.

Severide led Casey into the building. The walls were still groaning. "Eyes open Casey, this place could still go down."

"Copy that Sev."

"Her classroom was just a little further down this hallway." Kelly said. He remembered from when he had gone to visit her a few times at school.

"You've got some live wires to your left."

"Chief, get someone here to cut the power and the gas main." Severide said into his radio.

"Already enroute." Chief replied.

Kelly's mind was racing. He had a job to do, the most important of his life. And that was to find Danielle, hopefully alive.

* * *

Danielle was drifting in and out of consciousness. "Must stay awake." She told herself. She could hear the faint sound of sirens outside. "He'll come for me." She tried to move again, but was met with a sharp pain in her side. Her ribs were definitely broken, she tried not to panic and keep her breathing even. She managed to free one her legs. She was cut up pretty bad but it was a miracle that it wasn't broken. She tore a piece of her pant leg off to fashion a tourniquet around her bleeding arm. Her right leg was still pretty jammed in a mess of rubble.

"Luis?" Danielle called out remembering that he was still in the building too. She wondered if he was anywhere near the blast.

"Fire Department, call out!" Casey yelled.

"Dani, are you back here?" Kelly strained to call out.

They continued to crawl deeper and deeper into the building.

"Casey, report." Boden ordered into the radio.

"We are moving in further. Slowly and steadily. Lots of debris and live wires. What's the ETA on ConEd?"

"About 15 minutes."

"Copy."

"Casey, what if we don't find her?" Sev whispered.

"Sev. She is coming out with us."

The two stopped when they heard a banging noise.

"It's coming from down there." Casey pointed further down the hallway.

"Let's go."

"Fire Department, Call out!" Kelly yelled.

"Over here." The voice was weak and raspy.

"Danielle?" Kelly begged.

"I'm Luis."

"Are you ok, Luis?" Casey asked.

"I think so. What happened."

"We are not sure just yet." Casey replied. "Was there anyone else in the building."

"The after school cleaning crew was just leaving as I was coming in to check the boilers." He added, "I saw Miss Powers. Oh my God. Did she get out in time?"

"We think she is still in the building." Severide said. "Did you see where she was?"

"She always parks in the South parking lot, I am sure she was heading that way."

"Squad, clear a path at the south parking lot entrance." He ordered into his radio.

"Copy that, Lieutenant." Tony replied. "We are heading that way now.

"Casey you stay here with him. I am going in further."

"You should wait for backup." Casey replied.

Severide looked at him pleading with his eyes. "You know I can't wait. I need to keep going."

Casey nodded. "Go. Radio if you need anything."

Kelly continued the trek forward looking for her, while Casey started to bandage up Luis.

Danielle was almost free of her rubble constraints. She was getting light headed from the exertion of trying to move the rubble and the all the dust was making it hard to breath. She hoped that someone would know to look in the basement where she had fallen to.

"Just a few more." She said kicking some rocks out of the way with her free leg.

She was feeling around the floor next to her to look for a large pole or stick to leverage against another rock to help move the bigger one. She found a long metal bracket to slide underneath the concrete, and then wedged a smaller piece of rubble under that. She pushed with all her might to try to lift the rock to free her leg. It was too heavy.

Just as she was about to pass out again from the pain she looked up through the hole that she fell through, and saw some lights shining. She could've sworn she heard someone calling her name as her eyes were closing.

* * *

Kelly came to a split in the hallways. He eyes darted back and forth to see which way would best lead back out to the parking lot. Which way would Danielle take?

Capp came over the radio, "Almost through Sev. You are going to have to come out this way. Truck is dealing with an electrical fire that started where you came in."

Kelly dropped his head, "No turning back now." He trekked on, calling out for Danielle waving his flashlight into the darkness.

He came to another roadblock on his way through the hallway.

"Dammit." He breathed out. There was a giant hole in the floor that he couldn't get around. He shined his flashlight through the sides of the of the crater in the hallway. He didn't think he could get around it, but maybe he could go down and climb back up.

"Tony, Cruz," he said into radio, "as soon as you get in here were are going to need the rope bag and the 20 foot ladder. There is a giant hole in the ground and I can't get around it."

"Yes Lieutenant. Almost in."

Something hanging from the edge of the crater caught Kelly's eye. Was that it? Could it be? He spotted what looked like Danielle's tote bag that she carried to school everyday.

He recognized the navy blue tote Danielle always had in on her shoulder when she was heading to school in the morning. He looked up at the ceiling, the good news is that it was still in tact. Which meant that she may have just fallen through the floor, not crushed by the ceiling. He shined the flashlight down into the floor and was elated when he had finally found her.

He pulled out his rope and pulley from his pants pocket. He had enough to repel down, but not enough to get her and himself back up.

"Danielle!" He called down, "Can you hear me?" He shined the flashlight down on her. She was unresponsive and bleeding pretty badly. "I'm coming for you!" 'Please be ok,' he prayed to himself and to anyone else he thought may be listening.

He attached his gear to an anchor point and started the descent into the collapsed floor. As soon as his feet hit the floor he detached himself and hurried over to her.

He ran his hand over her cut face, "baby, I'm here." He whispered. Her pulse was weak, but she was alive.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Please get me out of here."

"We are going out together." He looked her up and down to assess the situation. Her right arm was bleeding but she had tied it off with a tourniquet. Her right leg below her shin had some rubble on it that kept her from moving. It looked like she tried to lever it off of herself.

"Baby, you are so smart." He said, "Look at me, keep your eyes open. Can you tell me what hurts."

She was drifting in and out. "My chest, I think I broke a rib." Her breath was pretty short. "I can't move my foot, and it hurts like hell."

Kelly looked down at her tear stained face, "You are going to be ok, I'm here now." 'You have to be ok,' he said to himself.

"Chief," Kelly spoke into his radio, "I got her." Kelly was running on pure adrenaline and was able to free her leg from it's constraints under the rubble.

Chief Boden and everyone within earshot of the radio sighed with relief.

"She is pretty banged up though," he continued. "She fell through the floor and we are in the basement. We are going to have to pull her out because I cannot see an exit point from down here. What's the status on squad?"

"We are here," Capp said from up above him. "Casey too."

"I'm coming down, Sev." Casey said

"Chief, I need a medic. She is barely conscious."

"Here Lieutenant," Sylvie came over the radio. "Tell me what you see."

"Labored breathing, she thought she may have a broken rib. Bad cut on her upper arm that she tied off, and a broken ankle seem to be the worst of it."

"OK, check her chest. Casey, find something to use as a splint for her ankle."

Casey and Severide worked side by side on Danielle.

"Brett. Her breathing is very shallow and her chest seems to filling up with air. I think her lung is collapsing."

Casey called up to the Squad guys prepping the basket to carry Danielle up, "Cruz, make sure the floor is stable, we have to get her up quick."

Brett's voice was over the radio again, "Sounds like pneumothorax. You guys have to get up here now or tube her down there."

"Herrmann, throw down your jump bag." Casey yelled.

Cruz shouted, "Lieutenant, we need another minute up here. We are looking for an anchor point and trying to stabilize the way out."

"We are going to have to do this here." Casey said to Severide. "You ok?"

"We have to save her, Casey, I can't lose her." Kelly shook his head.

Casey opened up the jump bag, "We have to tube her Brett, she is not getting any oxygen, talk us through it."

"Open the front of her shirt." Brett started, "starting at the base of her neck, use your fingers to feel for the space in between her collarbone and her third rib."

Kelly's hands were on Danielle's chest while Casey prepped the scalpel and tubing.

"Copy. What next?" Severide said into the radio wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Using the scalpel, make a small incision between her ribs, near the upper part of her chest." Brett instructed.

Casey handed Severide the scalpel, "you got this."

Severide kissed her face and then leaned down to make the incision.

"Ok Brett, we made the cut."

"Good. Next, slowly guide the tube in to release the air."

Casey grabbed Danielle's hand and squeezed as Severide slowly inserted the tube into the incision. They both heard the built up air around her lungs escape.

"How is she?" Brett asked.

Severide stroked her face and listened for her to take a breath. Her eyes fluttered opened once all the pressure was released from her chest.

"Kelly, you came." She whispered.

He smiled down at her, "of course I did."

"She's awake." He said into the radio.

Brett sighed in relief, "Oh thank God. OK, tape the tube in place so we can get her out of there."

"Squad, where is the basket? Get us the hell out of here." Kelly called up.

"Coming down now."

Severide and Casey looked up to see the yellow rescue basket coming down towards them. Casey grabbed it while Kelly put the seat collar around her neck.

"Take me home." Danielle said as her eyes began to close again.

"Eyes open, baby. You have to stay awake." Kelly said to her.

"I'm just so tired."

"Almost there, Dani. We will have you out of here soon." Casey said to her.

The pair lifted her into the basket making sure she was secure and that her tube wasn't moving.

"Secure on our end." Casey called up to the guys.

Squad started to lift her in the basket and truck lowered a ladder for Casey and Severide to climb up.

In the ambulance on the way over, Severide held Danielle's hand and stroked her hair. "You are going to be ok." He reassured her.

"The floor fell." She mumbled.

"What babe?" Kelly asked not sure if he heard her right.

"The floor. It fell. From underneath me."

"Yeah, you took a nasty spill."

"And you were there. You were there when the floor fell."

Kelly nodded realizing what she was saying. "I love you so much."

Danielle's eyes were closing she felt so dizzy.

"Brett, her pulse is weak! She's crashing! How much longer until we get to Med?" Kelly yelled from the back of the ambulance.

"We are 2 minutes out. Hold on Danielle!" Brett yelled from the driver's seat.


	13. Chapter 13

The members of Firehouse 51 all sat solemnly in the waiting room of Chicago Med patiently waiting on Danielle's doctor to come out with some news.

She had been rushed into the emergency department of Chicago Med with Kelly by her side. She had completely lost consciousness. Dr. Halstead and his team determined there was some internal bleeding and whisked her right into surgery to solve the issue.

Severide sat down with tears in his eyes as he watched them wheel her away.

She had been in surgery for a few hours when Dawson had come over to sit next to Severide. "Is there anything I can do right now?"

Kelly's head was in his hands. "I don't know."

"When is her family coming in?"

"They are on the 7am flight, they should be here by 9:30 tomorrow morning."

"Me and Casey can go pick them up."

"Thanks Dawson, I appreciate that."

"She is going to be ok, Sev." She said putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I hope so."

The doors from the operating room swung open and Dr. Halstead emerged causing Severide jump out of his seat to meet him.

"Doc, you gotta give me something."

"She's in surgery right now. There was some internal bleeding from a ruptured spleen."

"What does that mean?" Kelly said shaking his head, "Will she be ok?"

"Spleen surgery is generally safe, but any surgery has risks, such as bleeding, blood clots, infection and pneumonia." Dr. Halstead continued.

Kelly sighed in relief for the first time that night.

"I heard you were the one that tubed her." Dr. Halstead stated, "nice work, you saved her life."

"We are not out of the woods yet, doc."

"Have faith, Lieutenant." He shook Kelly's hand, offered a small smile, and headed back into the OR.

Kelly picked up his phone and called Danielle's parents to fill them in on the latest news.

Chief Boden had just shown up after the explosion investigation. "Chief, what the hell happened in that school?" Kelly asked when he came to check on him.

"Freak accident, Severide. We did a thorough check during overhaul, it looks like the boiler exploded. Danielle must've been standing right above it."

"She shouldn't have even been there."

"How is she?" Boden asked.

"Should be out of surgery soon, sounds like everything is going well so far."

"She's a fighter, Kelly."

"Don't I know it."

It seemed as though an eternity had passed when he finally heard someone behind him shaking him from his daze, "Lieutenant."

Kelly turned towards the direction of his name, "Doc. What's the news?"

"Surgery went well. We were able to save her spleen and we expect her to make a full recovery. She is resting comfortably in recovery now."

"Can I see her?"

"Not quite yet," Dr. Halstead said. "Once we move her out of ICU and back into her room you may go in. She is still out from the anesthesia anyway."

"I don't want her to wake up alone."

"I'll see what I can do." He nodded in understanding.

* * *

Danielle opened her eyes. She was so thirsty. She looked around the room trying to get her bearings and was relieved to see Kelly on the chair next her bed with his eyes closed. He was holding her hand. He was still in his uniform and turnout pants and his face dirty and his hands were cut. There was blood all over his t-shirt, her blood.

She remembered the explosion and the building collapse. She had a vague recollection of Kelly and Matt pulling her out of there. She squeezed his hand affectionately; Kelly stirred and opened his eyes.

"Hey you." He said squeezing her hand back and standing up to get a good look at her. Kelly ran his hand over her face, she was scraped and bruised. Her lips were dry and swollen but he leaned to down to press his to them anyway. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a truck." Danielle said. "Is there any water here?"

Kelly poured her a cup from the pitcher on the counter and he brought put the straw up to her lips. "You scared me to death, Dani."

She looked up him, she could see the tear stains on his cheeks. "What the hell happened?"

"The boilers in the building exploded. Boden said it was a freak accident." He ran his hand through her hair, "you must've been standing right above it."

"And then the floor fell right from underneath me."

"I'm so happy you are ok." He ran his fingers through her hair that was splayed across the starched hospital pillow.

"You saved my life?" She asked looking deep into his eyes.

He matched her gaze, "You gave us a hell of scare, Danielle. The whole house was in there looking for you."

"Oh my God, Luis!" She remembered that he was in there too. "Is he ok?" She grabbed her side in pain after she had just gotten up too quickly

"Yes," he winced when he saw that she was in pain. "Lay back down, baby. You need to rest."

"You found him?" She asked worriedly.

"He was far enough from the explosion he was ok."

Dr. Halstead walked in, "Danielle, I'm so happy you are up." Kelly sat down again holding Danielle's hand as the doctor explained everything from her collapsed lung to her ruptured spleen. He explained what happened during the surgery and what the recovery would be like. She was thankful that Kelly and Matt found her when they did. She wouldn't have made it if she was in there any longer.

"You should close your eyes a little. Your parents and brother are flying in soon." Kelly said as the doctor was leaving.

"Thank you for calling them." She said sleepily. She reached up to touch his face, "I know you saved me Kelly, thank you for coming for me."

"I wasn't leaving there without you." He paused. "I never want to be without you. Ever." Kelly stayed with her until she fell asleep.

* * *

"Here Danielle," Sylvie was at Danielle's bedside the following morning while Kelly went to go change. "Severide gave me the key to your place and I pulled some things you may want while you are still in here." She held up a small duffle bag with some of Danielle's clothes and most importantly, her toothbrush.

"Sylvie," Danielle started. "I can't thank you enough."

"For what?" Sylvie said while finding a place for her bag.

"For finding me when you did."

Sylvie walked over to her bedside and took her hand in hers, "It wasn't just me," she said, "Kelly and Casey were the real heroes. The whole house was there to get you out safely."

Danielle was thankful for all of her friends at the firehouse. She knew that they risked their lives to save strangers daily and she didn't know where she would be without them.

"I think you were the first person that Severide had ever tubed, too." Sylvie said, thinking out loud.

"What do you mean?"

"When your lung collapsed and you stopped breathing," Sylvie explained, "he was the one that cut you to release the pressure."

Danielle had no idea that had even happened. "Oh my god," Danielle wanted to cry, "how can i ever repay him, and all of you."

"Danielle, we all love you." She said, "plus, it's our job!"

There was a slight knock on the door, Danielle tried to sit up as best she could when she saw casey and Gabby at the door. "How are you feeling?" Casey asked.

"Much better thanks to you, I hear."

They walked over to offer to give her a slight hug being careful of her stitches. "You gave a little scare!" Gabby said, "but we are so glad you are ok."

"I don't know what to say guys," Danielle said with tears in her eyes, "I don't know what would've have happened if you weren't there looking for me."

"Try not to think about that," Casey offered, "the most important thing is that you are going to make a full recovery." He smiled down at her.

"Herrmann, Otis and I are already planning a fundraiser to get those school doors opened back in September." Gabby added.

"We can't stay though," Casey got up to make the move to go, "We told Sev we would pick up your family from the airport. We should be back with them in about an hour."

"I can't thank you enough." The love and generosity of this firehouse family she had come to love had put Danielle over the edge, she started to cry.

"Don't worry, I'll hang until they get here," Sylvie said.

"You guys are the best friends." Danielle said.

"Well, you are one of us now." Gabby said giving her a quick hug goodbye.

Kelly emerged into the doorway with Dr. Halstead, "Bumped into the doc, he just wants to check your dressings."

"I'll give you guys a minute." Sylvie said and she walked out with Gabby and Casey.

"Bye guys." Danielle gave them a small wave.

He pulled her gown to the side and checked her incisions on her stomach and chest, Kelly watched over protectively. Then he check the cut on her arm to make sure everything was holding up. "You are going to be sore for a little while, and we are definitely going to want to keep you in here for a few days to monitor your spleen and lung," he started, "but all looks good to me so far. There is no reason why you shouldn't make a full recovery."

"Thank you doctor," Danielle said, "I appreciate everything you've done."

"No problem," he smiled. "I'll be back to check on you soon."

She looked up at Kelly. His eyes looked tired but it looked like he had stopped home to shower and change. "You should sleep a little bit, babe." Danielle said.

He sat on the bed next to her, being careful not to disturb her too much. "Don't worry about me, just just focus on getting better."

"Dr. Halstead said I am going to be fine." She reached for his hand, "Largely in part to you."

She gave his hand a squeeze. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Kelly looked deep into eyes and lightly ran his finger down her face. He watched her as her eyes closed thankful that she was finally safe and sound.

Danielle must've closed her eyes for a little while because the next thing she knew was hearing her mother's voice in the hallway talking with Kelly. She opened her eyes to see her brother and her father watching her.

"Hey sis," Mike started, "I was just telling dad I think you are faking it." He laughed, "I'm just kidding. How are you?"

"I'm fine, guys, I promise." Danielle said with a small smile.

"What the hell happened?" Her dad asked.

"Something about the boilers exploding." Danielle said, "I was walking out of school late last night and must've been right over them." She recalled what she could from the the disaster the night before.

"I am so happy you are ok." Her dad said, leaning down to kiss her head.

"Ma," Mike called out to the hallway, "she's awake."

Danielle's mother came rushing in, "oh my god, my baby!" She leaned down to hug and kiss her. She examined her face, tears on the brink of her own eyes.

"I'll go get everyone some coffee," Kelly said, "Give you some time to catch up."

"Thank you Kelly," Danielle's dad shook his hand. "For everything."

She nodded at him and mouthed, thank you. He nodded and smiled at her.

Danielle caught eyes with her brother and he let out a little laugh. "I'm ok mom."

"You just had major surgery, you are not ok." She studied her mother's face, she could tell that she hadn't slept and had been crying. She felt bad for making her worry like that.

"It was accident, and thankfully not as serious as if could've been. Everyone here at the hospital is taking great care of me." She tried to calm her down.

"Casey and Gabby filled us in on the ride over," Mike said. "I still can't believe that happened."

"We met your principal in the waiting room too," her dad said. "Thank God those firefighters showed up when they did."

"Kelly saved my life." Danielle added.

"We heard from your friend Sylvie," Danielle's mom said, "I am forever grateful for him and for all of your friends." Danielle's mom was fussing with the blankets on the bed.

"I should be here for a few days," Danielle said. "How long are you planning on staying? I'll ask Kelly and Sylvie to set you up at my apartment."

Her mom looked over at her dad and shrugged, "I don't know. I'll guess however long it takes you to be discharged. In the meantime we can pack you up and start shipping things home."

"What do you mean?" Danielle asked confused.

"Well, you are coming home now, aren't you?" Her mom looked over at her dad for support.

"Why would I do that?" Danielle choked out.

"Danielle, you almost died!"

"I'm going to go help Kelly with the coffee." Mike said sensing the tension rising and excusing himself from the conversation.

"Mom. Dad. I am really tired and on a lot of pain medication. This is not the conversation I want to be having right now."

"She's right," Danielle's dad offered.

"OK," her mom sighed. "We can talk about it later. Why don't you rest some more." She nodded.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Kelly had taken Danielle's dad and Mike to her apartment to get them set up and to allow Danielle to rest some more. Her mom had stayed with her at Med to make sure she wasn't alone.

"Mom." Danielle said to mother as she was watching her arrange flowers that had been arriving, "relax, you don't have to fuss over me."

"Danielle," her mother shrugged, "I just can't get over what happened. What could've happened. I almost lost you."

"But you didn't. He was there." She said referring to Kelly. "He got me out."

"I can see how much you love him. Maybe he will come out to Jersey?" She asked.

"I'm not going home mom." Danielle said matter-of-factly.

"Why not? I need to take care of you." Her mom asked quietly.

"I know you do." Danielle sighed trying to find the words not to hurt her mother. "But I've made a life here. With a man I love."

"Please think about it." Her mom said.

"I will consider it." Danielle shrugged, "But I have to see where this relationship with Kelly goes. Mom, you know how I've always been afraid of the ball dropping and something terrible happening?"

"Afraid of being happy?"

"Yes, you were the one who told me to live my life. The floor literally fell out from underneath me, and I survived. He was there, holding my hand, and giving me breath. I can't leave him here to go home. Besides our family and a few friends, there is nothing there for me anymore. Nothing like Kelly"

"Your friends told me how he saved your life."

"In more ways than you will ever know, mom." Danielle smiled. "He's the one."

"Really?" She asked.

"I know it." Danielle nodded.

* * *

The next few days had been a whirlwind for Danielle. Incessant check ins from her mother were starting to make her crazy. She had been feeling so much better and was just about ready to be discharged. All she wanted to do was go home.

"Finally," she said looking over at Kelly, "some alone time." He hadn't left her bedside in days.

"She means well, she was just worried." Kelly said.

"She wants me to come home."

"I know." He dropped his head. "She told me you were going home."

"Come here, Kelly," Danielle patted the spot in the bed next to her. She scooted over to make room for him in the tight hospital bed. He laid beside her, she could smell that fresh from the shower scent, a combination of his soap and deodorant.

"Do you want to go?" He asked taking her hand in his but still avoiding eye contact.

She put her hand on his face turning his head to make eye contact, "I never want to be anywhere that you are not."

Kelly smiled and his blue eyes brightened, "I knew you liked me," he said with a small laugh. "But seriously, Dan, you know I can take care of you here, right?"

"I know."

"Good. Because I am asking you to stay here. With me."

She leaned in to press her lips to his, "I'm not going anywhere."


	14. Next update - soon!

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for sticking with me. I am so sorry the past 2 weeks have been crazy, and I just want to make sure the ending is perfect for you guys. Update is coming this week!

Thanks for everything!


End file.
